Kulin, Australia

Tin Horse Highway

There's a lot of horsing around on this lonely stretch of Australian highway.

In the vast open spaces of Western Australia’s Wheatbelt, merino sheep roam and the roads stretch long and lonesome. But meander deeper into the region, and you’ll find a surprising tableau of anthropomorphic horses rearing out of the golden landscape, striking poses for awed, enchanted drivers.

Known as the Tin Horse Highway, this open-air kitsch gallery begins in the small town of Kulin and extends seven miles, ending at the junction for Jilakin Rock. Begun in the ‘90s, the first tin horses were created as part of a community art project to bolster interest in the annual Kulin Bush Races.

Residents scoured local farmyards and collected any and all junk they could find. With big imaginations and an excellent sense of humor, they went to work crafting horses caught in all manner of wild shenanigans.

The project was an instant hit, and today the Tin Horse Highway is one of Western Australia’s most beloved roadside attractions. Take the drive, and you’ll see horses with toothy smiles swigging cans of Emu Export, taking a police car for a joy ride, doing headstands, bucking cowboys into the dirt—just to name a few.

There are more 70 horses to see along the highway, the herd’s number growing each year with Kulin’s annual tin horse competition.

Know Before You Go

The Tin Horse Highway is free and open year-round. The Shire of Kulin requests that anyone driving the highway please apply caution while viewing the sculptures and be aware of slow moving vehicles and other tourists.