By Mary Ward
The horses that gallop around the Darling Harbour carousel have been carrying children on joyrides all around the state for well over a century.
And, after eight years of refurbishment, the historic ride reopened for a new generation last Monday, 130 years after the Kale family of showmen brought the ride to Sydney by ship.
The Darling Harbour carousel reopened last week. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
The Kales travelled with the English ride across Sydney and regional NSW to agricultural shows and fairs for decades before it was purchased by the state government in 1988 and installed at Darling Harbour, under the Western Distributor. The carousel was added to the state heritage register in 2002.
It is believed to be the second-oldest surviving carousel in Australia, arriving on the continent just a few years after the carousel at Melbourne Zoo.
The Darling Harbour carousel was closed in 2015 for the redevelopment of the surrounding area, including the nearby IMAX cinema, which reopened last year following extensive delays to its reconstruction.
Susan Lee, the chief operating officer at Placemaking NSW, said it was exciting to see the carousel back in operation. The ride, which has been serviced, repainted and cleaned, will operate on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.
“The new playground was designed around the carousel, giving a great juxtaposition of old and new, and ensuring that Darling Harbour will remain a family favourite,” she said.
Patricia Mullins, a carousel and rocking-horse enthusiast who restored the horses on Melbourne Zoo’s carousel and is a member of the National Carousel Association, said it was wonderful that the Darling Harbour ride had reopened. “It’s a lovely example of an English carousel and we are very lucky to have it,” she said.
Seyara Algama, 6, on the Darling Harbour carousel on Friday. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
Although the carousel at Melbourne Zoo is technically older – having been built in 1886 – Mullins said the Darling Harbour ride had all of its original horses, while Melbourne’s have been replaced.
“It’s remarkable to see a carousel with all the original horses still, and the fact that it’s been kept up,” she said. “The Kale family, when they had it, looked after it because it was their livelihood.”
The carousel’s original steam boiler and engine remain intact, although the ride is now driven by an electric motor.
Anthony el Maydaa, 7, and his sister Tina, 3, riding the carousel on holiday from Canberra.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
Anthony el Maydaa, 7, and his sister Tina, 3, were enjoying the carousel on Friday. From Canberra, the siblings were staying nearby on a family holiday.
“We’ve come up to Sydney for the school holidays. They had so much fun,” their mother Michleen said.
Seyara Algama, 6, made a beeline for the carousel after exiting a screening of Inside Out 2.
“We had just come from watching a movie at the IMAX – as soon as we came out she saw it and she wanted to go on,” her mother Lasni said.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.