Photograph - Carousel Opening, Geelong Waterfront, Katrina J Lawrence, 14 October 2000

Historical information

This image is part of a collection of 35mm colour transparencies taken by photographer Katrina Lawrence at the opening of the carousel on the waterfront in Geelong on 14th October 2000.

This image shows a juggler with the organ in the background at the opening celebrations.

The Steampacket Place Development Board, a joint team formed by the Victorian State Government and the City of Greater Geelong undertook the $30 million revitalisation of the entire Geelong Waterfront from 1995 to 2000.

As part of the revitalisation, in August 1996, the Steampacket Place Development Board purchased an unrestored Armitage-Herschell portable steam-driven carousel to restore and locate as a major feature on the revitalised waterfront.

The Carousel was manufactured around 1892 by the Armitage-Herschell company of New York. The Carousel operated on the Mordialloc Pier from the 1920s to the 1950s.

Twenty-four of the 36 horses are original, and believed to be rare examples hand-carved by the American master, Charles Dare.

Each horse took 300 hours to restore, with intricate carving, coating, filling, sanding, smoothing, painting and varnishing.

Physical description

Colour image showing a juggler with an organ in the background.

Other parts of this item

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