Big Rocking Horse owner, Mell Penn reflects on turbulent 2024 and looks forward to 2025

The owners of a South Australian tourist icon have not had the easiest start since taking the reins – now they’ve revealed what their next move will be.

Owner, Mell Penno outside the Big Rocking Horse in Gumeracha. Picture: Matt Loxton

After being lashed by a storm and targeted by shoplifters last year, there is no denying that Mell Penno’s time owning the Big Rocking Horse has not been easy.

The 50-year-old and her husband took over the reins of the iconic Gumeracha location 19 months ago and were nearly forced to close the tourist hot spot's cafe after experiencing $8,000 worth of storm damage.

“It’s still a bit of a blur actually, there was so much going on,” Ms Penno said.

“I was a bit broken.”

In their hour of need the local community rallied around the attraction donating their money, time and services to help get the cafe back up and running.

“That gave me the fuel to say ‘no, don’t give up,” Ms Penno said.

“I had people ringing me saying ‘I’m having a garage sale this weekend and I want to donate everything I make to you’, and those sort of people I turned away but I said ‘no … please don’t do that, keep the money’ and we got there in the end.

“We put everything we had in as well and we turned it around for about $30,000 to get the (cafe) back up and running.”

Owner, Mell Penno outside the Big Rocking Horse in Gumeracha. Picture: Matt Loxton

Prior to the September storm, the business’ toy shop was also impacted by shoplifters who stole $200 of merchandise in June.

The experience, which left Ms Penno and her staff feeling “violated”, encouraged her to upgrade the location’s security system.

“We have added CCTV which was something that wasn’t in the budget but we needed it,” Ms Penno said.

The owner also hopes to install new fencing around the property to deter trespassers looking to climb the beloved landmark outside of opening hours.

“All it takes is one person to hurt themselves or die and we will be closed forever,” Ms Penno said.

“And we want people to still come here and make memories.”

Owner, Mell Penno outside the Big Rocking Horse in Gumeracha. Picture: Matt Loxton

Despite the rocky start to her ownership, Ms Penno said she intends to “stick around as long as (she) can”.

“We used to drive past here when we first moved up this way eight years ago and we used to say ‘we would love to own that place one day’,” Ms Penno said.

“It’s long days … but I love it, absolutely love it.”

Originally published as Big Rocking Horse owner, Mell Penn reflects on turbulent 2024 and looks forward to 2025