The Singapore Flyer is a 150 metre-tall observation wheel located on Marina Bay, overlooking Singapore’s city centre – and for the moment, it holds the title of the world’s largest observation wheel.

The next tallest observation wheel is the Star of Nanchang (sadly not-yet-built in Google Earth¹, but here’s a ground-level photo), which was the world’s tallest from when it was built in 2006, right up until the opening of the Singapore Flyer in February 2008. This is odd, because at 160 metres the Star of Nanchang should never have lost the title!²

It transpires that the Singapore Flyer has been built on top of a three-story building, taking it to a total height of 165 metres and into the record books. What a con!

Observation wheels seem to be de rigueur these days³ – just last weekend Melbourne got in on the act with the 120 m Southern Star, which we can see under construction on Australian Street View.

Elsewhere, Germany is busy building the Great Berlin Wheel (location), which at a planned 175 m would take the title from the Singapore Flyer.

Unless of course China gets there first, as the Beijing Great Wheel (location) is due to be completed first, and will rise to a staggering 208 metres.

All of which is great news for the Great Wheel Corporation, who will then be the owners of all three of the tallest observation wheels in the world.

There’s lots more at Wikipedia about the Singapore Flyer, the Star of Nanchang, the Southern Star, the Great Berlin Wheel, and the Beijing Great Wheel.

Thanks to John Andresen and Glenn Baker.

Over the years we’ve featured hundreds of sights claiming to be the “World’s Largest Something“, and when we featured the World’s Largest Dump Truck last week, I wondered if we were finally running out. However our loyal readers came through with some classic “World’s Largest” material – replete with the usual controversy of course!

Yes, we’re truly scraping the bottom of the “World’s Largest” barrel – because it’s time for the World’s Largest Barrel!

Bad Dürkheim in Germany is home to the World’s largest wine festival – the sausagey-sounding “Wurstmarkt” – and it’s also the location of this absolutely giant barrel, which has a claimed capacity of 1,700,000 litres. Unfortunately they decided to fill it with a restaurant instead of booze.

But does this barrel-restaurant really count, or is it just a building that looks like a barrel?

If we exclude it, then the title may fall to the 220,000 litre Heidelberg Tun: the World’s largest barrel which is actually used as a barrel. Also in Germany, it’s sadly kept in the basement of Heidelberg Castle.

Wikipedia’s article on the World’s largest roadside attractions claims that the world’s largest barrel is neither of these, but is instead found at McWilliams Wines, in Hanwood, NSW, Australia. However I don’t believe the Big Hanwood Barrel was constructed using traditional barrel-making techniques, and anyway doesn’t look nearly big enough…

You’ll be glad to know that the “World’s largest roadside attractions” Wikipedia article has enough silly “World’s Largest” sights to keep us going for another few years at least!

Thanks to Izzy and Flümo.

It’s Island Week 3 here at GSS, which means we’ll mostly be posting about Islands. It’ll probably last about a week.

Bruny is one of 20 islands and island groups in the Australian state of Tasmania, the largest island of which is also called Tasmania.

Thanks to the recent addition of Street View imagery for Australia, today we’re going to take our first Street View island day trip! Packed lunches will not be provided.

To get onto Bruny from Tasmania itself we have to take a ferry:

Once we’ve arrived at the other side, we can see an aerial shot of the ferry, with lots of cars waiting to board:

The island of Bruny has a population of just 600 people, and the economy relies on wildlife tourism. However, I’ve not spotted any wildlife yet.

Bruny’s other main attraction is the Cape Bruny Lighthouse, so let’s drive down to see that:

The lighthouse’s main claim to fame, if you can call it that, is that it was the “oldest lighthouse under continuous operation by the Commonwealth”. I’m sure you’re impressed: feel free to take photos.

Unfortunately, the Street View driver drove so slowly that it’s getting dark already, so we’ll have to pack up our picnics and head back to Tasmania. Here’s the ferry queue from the other side:

And, once docked at the other side, here’s the Google Car inside the ferry! Keep your hands inside the vehicle please.

I hope you all enjoyed our day trip to Bruny Island! Please tip the driver.

More info on Wikipedia: Bruny Island.

Thanks to Howder.

Sorry folks, no post today.

However, many of you may be unaware that we operate a “backchannel” of sorts over at Twitter, where as well as a feed of all the posts from the main site, we also post some interesting stuff that doesn’t make it on here. So for the many people that don’t read our Twitter page, here the best links that you missed!

• There’s a large police turnout in Providence, RI.
• Apparently, this Australian Graffiti artiste reckons that “TRENT IS BENT“. I wonder what Trent has to say about that?
• French resident captured taking a dump in the street, eew!
• This creepy looking house is covered in stuffed toys.
• The Street View car gets a flat tyre repaired in the tiny town of Paraburdoo, Western Australia.
• Ford Model T driving down the street.
• Wild antelope on Google Street view!
• Flickr: Google Street View car gets a ticket.

If you’d like more like this, subscribe to our twitter feed!

The proof is now clear for all to see – Jesus was a cowboy! As demonstrated by this ridiculously large example of Pareidolia in the Australian Outback.

These images have been colour-adjusted for clarity

Actually, you’re not just seeing things, this is in fact Mundi Man, and not only is he really there, but he might just be the world’s largest work of art. The vision of an artist known as “Ando“, he covers a staggering 4 million square metres – meaning that his smile alone is as wide as the Empire State Building is tall!

The image of an anonymous “stockman” (an Australian cowboy) was chosen to represent those who pioneered the Outback plains of Australia. Unfortunately, it seems that whatever method Ando used to put our cheery-looking cowboy here hasn’t lasted too well, as he seems to be slowly fading away into the desert…

Previously on Google Sightseeing: Marree Man, Face of Jesus Found In Sand Dune and Face of [Insert Your Own Messiah] Found in [Insert Your Own Natural Phenomenon].

Thanks to adrbr.