Melbourne Zoo Carousel

Last updated

Melbourne Zoo Carousel
Melbourne Zoo Carousel KH1.jpg
Melbourne Zoo Carousel in 2012
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
StatusOperating
Opening date1952
Ride statistics
Attraction type Carousel
Manufacturer Robert Tidman & Sons
Originally manufactured1878
Website www.zoo.org.au/Melbourne

The Melbourne Zoo Carousel is a restored Victorian era carousel (or merry-go-round) in Melbourne Zoo, Victoria, Australia. The carousel was manufactured in England in 1878 and then brought to Australia in 1886 by a family that ran a touring carnival, visiting country towns in Victoria. After touring with the carnival for over 60 years, in 1952 the carousel became part of a fun fair at the Melbourne Zoo, but was still owned by the same families. When the fun fair at the zoo was permanently closed in 1997, the carousel was purchased by the zoo. By that time, the carousel was in a deteriorated condition. It was restored off-site in 2004-2005 with funding from Heritage Victoria and re-opened in August 2005. The carousel is listed by Heritage Victoria as a heritage place.

Contents

History

The carousel was manufactured by Robert Tidman and Sons of Norwich, England in 1878. [1] [2] [3] In that year, Robert and Frederick Tidman were granted a patent for the design of a carousel driven using bevel and spur gears, and powered by a small steam engine. [4]

The carousel was brought to Australia by John and Margaret Briggs in 1886. [2] The Briggs and Freeman families operated the carousel in a touring carnival, visiting country towns in Victoria for over 60 years. [5] [6] In 1952, the carousel was established in a permanent home as part of a fun fair at Melbourne Zoo in Parkville. The carousel was installed in a former giraffe enclosure and was operated by Briggs and Freeman Entertainments. [5] [7]

In February 1996, the carousel was listed by Heritage Victoria as a heritage place with VHR number 4738. [5]

By the late 1990s the carousel was in a deteriorated condition, [6] but remained as part of the fun fair until 1997, when the fair was closed. Melbourne Zoo purchased the carousel because of its historic connection with the zoo, but the rest of the fun fair was sold off. [7]

Restoration

By 2004, a project to restore the carousel was underway, with funding from Heritage Victoria. [8] The main mechanical restoration work was carried out in Castlemaine, [9] but an artist Patricia Mullins undertook the repainting of the carousel horses in a studio in Fitzroy. [10] [11] The restoration included new paintings and surrounds for the rounding boards. [12] Following completion of the restoration, the carousel was re-opened on 7 August 2005, [11] after being off-site for six years. Dorrie Freeman from the original owner's family was present at the re-opening. [13]

Description

Melbourne Zoo Carousel with housing Carousel at Royal Melbourne Zoological Park.jpg
Melbourne Zoo Carousel with housing

The carousel rotates clock-wise, typical of English-made carousels. It has a three abreast configuration of 30 carved horses, [13] along with two replica fibreglass elephants. [5] The original horses were made by G & J Lines, London, and 20 of these remain. The 10 outside row horses were replaced in the 1970s with German-made horses, also from the late 19th century. [1] [14] [15] The centre panels of the carousel feature etched glass mirrors, with carved floral decorations above. [16]

The carousel was originally powered by a Tidman centre-mounted steam engine. The Tidman engine was refurbished during the restoration and remains in place, but is not operational. [17]

A custom-made modern enclosure with transparent plastic curtains protects the carousel from the weather. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 New York World's Fair</span> Worlds fair held in New York City

The 1964 New York World's Fair was an international exposition at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, United States. The fair included exhibitions, activities, performances, films, art, and food presented by 80 nations, 24 U.S. states, and nearly 350 American companies. The 646-acre (261 ha) fairground consisted of five sections: the Federal and State, International, Transportation, Lake Amusement, and Industrial areas. The fair was themed to "peace through understanding" and was centered on the Unisphere, a stainless-steel model of the Earth. Initially, the fair had 139 pavilions, in addition to 34 concessions and shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1939 New York World's Fair</span> Worlds fair held in New York City

The 1939–1940 New York World's Fair was a world's fair at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, United States. The fair included exhibitions, activities, performances, films, art, and food presented by 62 nations, 35 U.S. states, and over a thousand organizations and companies. More than 44 million people attended over two seasons. It was based on "the world of tomorrow", with an opening slogan of "Dawn of a New Day". The 1,202-acre (486 ha) fairground consisted of seven color-coded zones, as well as two standalone focal exhibits. The fairground had about 375 buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carousel</span> Type of amusement ride

A carousel or carrousel, merry-go-round (international), Galloper (international) or roundabout is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The "seats" are traditionally in the form of rows of wooden horses or other animals mounted on posts, many of which are moved up and down by gears to simulate galloping, to the accompaniment of looped circus music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian National Exhibition</span> Annual event held in Toronto

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Exhibition or The Ex, is an annual fair that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the third Friday of August leading up to and including Labour Day, the first Monday in September. With approximately 1.6 million visitors each year, the CNE is Canada's largest annual community event and one of the top fairs in North America. The fair is a combination of agricultural exhibits and events, carnival rides and entertainment, live music, food and special events. Special events include the Warriors' Day Parade, the Labour Day Parade and the Canadian International Air Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moomba Festival</span> Labour Day festival in Melbourne, Australia

Moomba is held annually in Melbourne, Australia. Run by the City of Melbourne, it is Australia's largest free community festival. The Melburnian tradition is celebrated over four days, incorporating the Labour Day long weekend, from Friday to the second Monday in March. Moomba is culturally important to Melbourne, having been celebrated since 1955, and regularly attracts up to a million people, with a record attendance of 3.8 million set in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McMahon Stadium</span> Football stadium in Calgary, Canada

McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne Zoo</span> Zoo in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Melbourne Zoo is a zoo in Melbourne, Australia. It is located within Royal Park in Parkville, approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of the centre of Melbourne. It is the primary zoo serving Melbourne. As of 2021, the zoo contains 3742 animals comprising 243 species, from Australia and around the world. The zoo is accessible via Royal Park station on the Upfield railway line, and is also accessible via tram routes 58 and 19, as well as by bicycle on the Capital City Trail. Bicycles are not allowed inside the zoo itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luna Park, Melbourne</span> Amusement park in Melbourne, Australia

Luna Park Melbourne is a historic amusement park located on the foreshore of Port Phillip Bay in St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria. It opened on 13 December 1912, with a formal opening a week later, and has been operating almost continuously ever since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Representative matches in Australian rules football</span>

Representative matches in Australian rules football are matches between representative teams played under the Australian rules, most notably of the colonies and later Australian states and territories that have been held since 1879. For most of the 20th century, the absence of a national club competition in Australia and international matches meant that intercolonial and later interstate matches were regarded with great importance.

Harry White was an Australian jockey. He was one of the country's leading jockeys, especially in the 1970s, and was a four-time winner of the Melbourne Cup. He also won three Newmarket Handicaps, three Oakleigh Plates and three Futurity Stakes.

The Ameri-Go-Round was the name given to two carousels, one at each of Marriot's Great America amusement parks, Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois and California's Great America in Santa Clara, California.

For many years Wittingslow was Australia's largest traveling carnival operations, spanning more than 60 years in the outdoor entertainment industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girls Sport Victoria</span>

Girls' Sport Victoria (GSV) was established in 2001, and is one of the largest independent school sporting associations in Victoria, Australia, with 24 member schools from around Melbourne.

An outbreak of equine influenza (EI) in Australia was confirmed by the Department of Primary Industries on 24 August 2007 in Sydney. Also known as "horse flu" and "A1 influenza", the rapid outbreak was of the Influenza A virus strain of subtype H3N8. While the virus is highly contagious, it rarely kills adult horses but the performance of thoroughbred racing horses can be affected for several weeks. It can be fatal to young foals and debilitated horses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wally Johnson</span> Australian rules footballer

Walter Simon Johnson was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferry County Carousel</span>

The Ferry County Carousel is an operational wooden carousel located three miles (5 km) east of the town of Republic, Washington on the Ferry County Fairgrounds. This carousel features 24 horses in two rows and is fitted with a jumping mechanism. The Ferry County Carousel is one of only seven classic wooden carousels in Washington state and possibly the oldest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broad Ripple Park Carousel</span> Restored antique carousel in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

Broad Ripple Park Carousel is an antique carousel in The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. It was installed in 1917 at an amusement park near the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana, where it remained until the building housing it collapsed in 1956. The ride's mechanism was destroyed, but the animals were relatively unscathed and put into storage by the park's owners, the Indianapolis Department of Parks and Recreation. The animals were carved by the Dentzel Carousel Company some time before 1900 but were assembled by the William F. Mangels carousel company, which also supplied the engine powering the ride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forest Park Carousel</span> Carousel in Queens, New York

The Forest Park Carousel is a historic carousel at Forest Park in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, U.S. The carousel, one of two known surviving carousels built by Daniel Carl Muller, was built c. 1903 and contains 52 figures and its original band organ. Originally located in Dracut, Massachusetts, the carousel was relocated to Forest Park in 1972, replacing an earlier carousel on the site. The ride, operated by NY Carousel since 2012, is part of a seasonal amusement center called Forest Park Carousel Amusement Village. The Forest Park Carousel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 and has been a New York City designated landmark since 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Parade, Melbourne</span> Road in Melbourne, Victoria

Royal Parade is a major urban road in Victoria, Australia, linking Melbourne City to Brunswick and the northern suburbs. It is the site of major educational and sporting facilities as well as several buildings of heritage significance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darling Harbour Carousel</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

The Darling Harbour Carousel is a heritage-listed carousel located at the concourse under the Western Distributor at Darling Harbour in the Sydney central business district in the City of Sydney local government area, New South Wales, Australia. It is also known as The Carousel. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 28 June 2002.

References

  1. 1 2 "Melbourne Zoo Carousel". National Carousel Association. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Melbourne Zoo and You: 150 years". Victorian Collections. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  3. ↑ "Robert Tidman and Sons - Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  4. ↑ Gieseler, Albert. "Robert Tidman & Sons, Bishop Bridge Iron Works". Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Carousel - Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, Elliott Avenue, Parkville, Melbourne City". Victorian Heritage Database. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  6. 1 2 Plant, Simon (6 August 2005). "Doing the rounds". Herald Sun . p. W07. ProQuest   360673254.
  7. 1 2 Jellie, Dugald (25 April 1997). "Zoo's carnival is over; Fun fairs: End of an era". The Age . p. C4. ProQuest   2521807830.
  8. ↑ Ryan, Kelly (21 April 2004). "A ride back to . . . the 19th century coming around again". Herald Sun . p. 40. ProQuest   360518709.
  9. ↑ Edmonds, Mike; Dennehy, Luke; Danaher, Carla (16 August 2004). "Round goes merry steed". Herald Sun . p. 22. ProQuest   360567770.
  10. ↑ Pallisco, Marc (30 September 2007). "Booking a heritage change". Sunday Age. p. 2. ProQuest   367276691.
  11. 1 2 Plant, Simon (6 August 2005). "Happily along for ride". Herald Sun . p. 17. ProQuest   360681968.
  12. ↑ "Melbourne Zoo Carousel - Rounding board detail". National Carousel Association. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  13. 1 2 Metlikovec, Jane (8 August 2005). "Grand horses run full circle". Herald Sun . p. 15. ProQuest   360687369.
  14. ↑ "Melbourne Zoo Carousel - German outside row jumper and Lines inside row jumpers - rear view". National Carousel Association. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  15. ↑ "Melbourne Zoo Carousel - German outside row jumper and Lines inside row jumpers - side view". National Carousel Association. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  16. ↑ "Melbourne Zoo Carousel - Original upper and crown centre panels". National Carousel Association. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  17. ↑ "Melbourne Zoo Carousel - Original Tidman steam engine". National Carousel Association. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  18. ↑ "Melbourne Zoo Carousel - housing". National Carousel Association. Retrieved 26 August 2024.

37°47′04″S144°57′10″E / 37.78444°S 144.95278°E / -37.78444; 144.95278

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.