Australia’s latest “big thing” is creating quite a buzz – and not just in the tiny town where it’s landed.

The blue Big Fly Swat – cut from solid steel and adorned with a fly sculpted from recycled metal – was officially launched this week in the South Australian remote outback community of Kingoonya.

It joins other iconic big things such as Coffs Harbour’s Big Banana, Tamworth’s Big Golden Guitar, the Big Prawn on Queensland’s Ballina and the Big Merino in the NSW town of Goulburn.

But unlike some of the townships that host these over-sized attractions, Kingoonya is little-known beyond South Australia – and perhaps even within the state.

Home to just 13 residents, the township is located near Woomera in the central outback. It was originally established as a railway settlement and today boasts a hotel, caravan park and café.

Kingoonya resident Leesa Carty, who helped bring the Big Fly Swat project to life, says the idea for it came when locals were considering how to use a grant they had received for a community project. At the time, they were sitting in the hotel, where publicans have always kept fly swats on the tables.

“It was just this snap moment…,” Carty said in a video shared by the Outback Communities Authority.

“We thought it was very iconic, Australian outback – everyone knows there’s flies in the outback. The flies are pretty bad sometimes. They can be horrendous.”

Jethro Holmes, of Wirrulla General Engineering in Streaky Bay, was brought on board to design the giant fly swat.

He then got an Adelaide-based company to cut the swat from steel, while Streaky Bay sculptor crafted a large fly from recycled materials such as gas canisters and metal tea strainers (for the eyes).

The fly is attached to the top of the Big Fly Swat, which is located alongside a sign pointing to the local caravan park, service station and café.

Locals celebrate the launch of the Big Fly Swat. Photo: Outback Communities Authority

Even though Kingoonya is in the outback, one SA tourism website describes it as “a remote town with big character” that likes to say it is “in the middle of somewhere”.

Located off the Stuart Highway, it is the northern gateway to the Gawler Ranges National Park and just over three hours from the opal mining town of Coober Pedy.

Carty says that like a lot of small towns, Kingoonya is trying to encourage more visitors and hopes the Big Fly Swat will help.

“I guess this town just refuses to die,” she said.

“It’s gone down to one person and now there’s 13 of us and it keeps evolving. Come and see the new big thing, the Big Fly Wwat in Kingoonya – it’s the only one in Australia and possibly the whole world.”

Judging by the response to a Facebook post shared by ABC North and West after the Big Fly Swat launch, the new attraction is already attracting plenty of attention.

“Swat next?” quipped one user, while another suggested it could be used to swat “some of the flies currently in parliament”.

A third – who suggested Kingoonya was worth a visit, even if “just to say you’ve been” – suggested: “Maybe the Progress Association should get a bumper sticker made. ‘New York – London – Kingoonya’.”