Big Rocking horse
Encyclopedia
The Big Rocking Horse is a tourist attraction located in the town of Gumeracha
, South Australia
. Designed by David McIntosh, the structure weighs 25 tonnes and stands at over 18 metres tall, and is one of a number of Big Things
in Australia
designed to attract the attention of passing motorists. It is part of a larger complex that includes a wooden toy factory, wildlife park and cafe
which had been owned by the Wilkinson family since the early 1970s, and while the complex was sold in 2004, it continues to operate today.
which stood at approximately five metres in height. This was subsequently replaced by a series of rocking horse
s: a three metre tall horse giving way to a five metre model, before the process culminated in the decision to build the Big Rocking Horse. The resulting 18.3 metre tall structure was designed by David McIntosh and John Twopenny, and it was opened in 1981 after eight months of construction and an investment of $100,000.
The Big Rocking Horse remained under Wilkinson family's ownership for just over 20 years, although problems arose late in this period with an increase in insurance premiums. Although it remained structurally sound, a fall in 1999 and the change in liability insurance
premiums resulted in the closure of the site to the public in 2001. Prior to this date visitors had been able to ascend to a lookout tower on the head of the structure.
In September, 2003, Graeme Wilkinson placed the Toy Factory—including the Big Rocking Horse—on the market, at an asking price of approximately $900,000. It was sold in 2004 to Anthony Miller, who had emigrated from South Africa
in 1999. Under Miller the structure was restored and reopened to the public, with visitor access to the viewing platforms available from April, 2004. Changes made by Miller, including the reopening of the Big Rocking Horse and the removal of entrance fees to the associated wildlife park, saw an overall increase in visitor numbers to the complex from 65,000 in 2003 to 200,000 in 2006.
In June 2009 the Big Rocking Horse was purchased by Frans and Lyn Gous, another family of business migrants from South Africa, and continues to go from strength to strength.
The Big Rocking Horse is 18.3 metres in height and 17 metres in length. Made of steel
, the structure weighs 25 tonnes, and it is set in 80 tonnes of concrete to prevent rocking. The steel frame was fabricated by Halwell Engineering in Adelaide
and transported by road to the site, after which the steel cladding was attached. Stairs incorporated inside the rocking horse lead to three viewing platforms: one at the head, one on the saddle, and a third on the "rocker bows" near the base of the structure.
The Big Rocking Horse is part of a larger complex incorporating the Toy Factory, a cafe
and a wildlife park. The factory sells a large range of wooden toys and souvenirs, while the wildlife park (which covers approximately seven acres), features a number of native and introduced species, including emu
s and kangaroo
s.
Gumeracha, South Australia
Gumeracha is a town near Adelaide, South Australia, located on the Adelaide-Mannum Road. It is located in the Adelaide Hills Council local government area. At the 2006 census, Gumeracha had a population of 731.-History:...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Designed by David McIntosh, the structure weighs 25 tonnes and stands at over 18 metres tall, and is one of a number of Big Things
Australia's Big Things
The Big Things of Australia are a loosely related set of large structures or sculptures. There are estimated to be over 150 such objects around the country, the first being the Big Scotsman in Medindie, Adelaide, which was built in 1963....
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
designed to attract the attention of passing motorists. It is part of a larger complex that includes a wooden toy factory, wildlife park and cafe
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
which had been owned by the Wilkinson family since the early 1970s, and while the complex was sold in 2004, it continues to operate today.
History
In 1973, after opening a wooden toy factory in Gumeracha, owner Wal Wilkinson chose to incorporate a large roadside attraction to the site in order to attract passing traffic. The first of these was a large wooden giraffeGiraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
which stood at approximately five metres in height. This was subsequently replaced by a series of rocking horse
Rocking horse
A rocking horse is a child's toy, usually shaped like a horse and mounted on rockers similar to a rocking chair.Predecessors of the rocking horse may be seen in the rocking cradle, the tilting seats used during the Middle Ages for jousting practice as well as the wheeled hobby horse...
s: a three metre tall horse giving way to a five metre model, before the process culminated in the decision to build the Big Rocking Horse. The resulting 18.3 metre tall structure was designed by David McIntosh and John Twopenny, and it was opened in 1981 after eight months of construction and an investment of $100,000.
The Big Rocking Horse remained under Wilkinson family's ownership for just over 20 years, although problems arose late in this period with an increase in insurance premiums. Although it remained structurally sound, a fall in 1999 and the change in liability insurance
Liability insurance
Liability insurance is a part of the general insurance system of risk financing to protect the purchaser from the risks of liabilities imposed by lawsuits and similar claims. It protects the insured in the event he or she is sued for claims that come within the coverage of the insurance policy...
premiums resulted in the closure of the site to the public in 2001. Prior to this date visitors had been able to ascend to a lookout tower on the head of the structure.
In September, 2003, Graeme Wilkinson placed the Toy Factory—including the Big Rocking Horse—on the market, at an asking price of approximately $900,000. It was sold in 2004 to Anthony Miller, who had emigrated from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1999. Under Miller the structure was restored and reopened to the public, with visitor access to the viewing platforms available from April, 2004. Changes made by Miller, including the reopening of the Big Rocking Horse and the removal of entrance fees to the associated wildlife park, saw an overall increase in visitor numbers to the complex from 65,000 in 2003 to 200,000 in 2006.
In June 2009 the Big Rocking Horse was purchased by Frans and Lyn Gous, another family of business migrants from South Africa, and continues to go from strength to strength.
Design and construction
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
, the structure weighs 25 tonnes, and it is set in 80 tonnes of concrete to prevent rocking. The steel frame was fabricated by Halwell Engineering in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and transported by road to the site, after which the steel cladding was attached. Stairs incorporated inside the rocking horse lead to three viewing platforms: one at the head, one on the saddle, and a third on the "rocker bows" near the base of the structure.
The Big Rocking Horse is part of a larger complex incorporating the Toy Factory, a cafe
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
and a wildlife park. The factory sells a large range of wooden toys and souvenirs, while the wildlife park (which covers approximately seven acres), features a number of native and introduced species, including emu
Emu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
s and kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
s.