The Carousel, Waterfront Geelong
Ever wanted to ride on a carousel that is over 193 years old? Well, it’s pleasing to know that this thirty-six-horse carousel in Geelong is less than an hour’s drive from the Melbourne CBD.
The Carousel, Geelong
The Geelong Carousel is a beautiful thirty-six-horse carousel. Twenty-four of those horses are from the original Armitage-Herschell portable steam-driven, hand-carved wooden carousel from 1892.
It took over 300 hours per horse, to be restored into the wonderful carousel it is today.
The carousel is situated on the Waterfront in Geelong, right in the middle- you can’t miss it!
It’s indoors so you can enjoy its beauty rain, hail or shine!
Bookings are not usually necessary as you can purchase tickets for your ride on the carousel on arrival. Although it is recommended to call ahead to make sure the carousel is operating on the day.
Children under 5 are required to have a parent or guardian actively standing next to them throughout the ride.
But don’t worry, it doesn’t go too fast, so you won’t have to worry about the second latte you had on the drive down.
If your child is feeling a bit apprehensive about sitting on one of the horses, there are also two chariots available for your enjoyment.
Your sight and touch aren’t the only senses that will be satisfied on your visit to the carousel- wait until you hear the pretty carnival-style music provided by the Band Organ.
This Gavioli 48-key band organ, which was acquired from an Australian collector, is a hybrid of the original and a reproduction.
There are only 200 of these magnificent carousels in operation in the entire world; how incredibly lucky are we to basically have one on our doorsteps?
Let your child take a step back in history and take a ride on the Geelong Carousel.
Details
Address:
1 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong Waterfront
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday – 10:30am to 5:00pm
Saturday -10:30am to 6:00pm
Sunday-10:30am to 6:00pm
Cost: $5 per person
Carousel and Waterfront souvenirs, drinks, ice creams and confectionery are available.
More info here>>
Other Things to do in Geelong
There are so many fun things to do in the area, you can check out our main post here:
Travelling from Melbourne? Check out Port Phillip Ferries as an alternative to driving!
Bring a packed lunch and enjoy the beautiful backdrop of Eastern Beach- if it’s a nice day you might even get a glimpse of our Melbourne across the bay!
Follow Mum’s Little Explorers on Facebook for more inspiration and join the Melbourne for Kids Facebook Group.
