The Adaminaby Big Trout stands proudly in the middle of town as a tribute to the region's great fishing.
Famous for its size as well as its fascinating history, the idea of the Big Trout was first spawned in 1969, when Leigh Stewart, a member of the Adaminaby Lions Club, proposed a project for the town. His idea featured a large rainbow trout as the centrepiece of a picnic park, supported by a drawing by Susanne Robertson.
Andy Lomnici, who brought the trout idea to life was born in Hungary 1922 studying art at university for six years. He emigrated to Australia with his wife Rosa in 1949.
At Adaminaby, he spent more than three months building the trout in 1973. Utilising a frozen trout as his model, Lomnici sketched the design on the floor of the Adaminaby Bowling Club before constructing the sculpture from steel and fibreglass.
The Big Trout has undergone several changes since its original conception, including different colour schemes. It received a $100,000 refurbishment in 2023 as part of its 50th anniversary, but the 2023 colour (below) was not popular, and it received another makeover to its current colour (top photo).
