The new Venetian Carousel at Elizabeth Quay is the magical cherry on top to this expanding waterfront area of Perth. My kids were beyond excited when they saw it for the first time, and so was I. Over a dozen horses with feather plumes prance under a traditional blue and white canopy with hand painted Italian scenes, complete with dazzling lights and enchanting music. The details are simply breathtaking!
The exquisite Carousel was built in Italy and imported to Perth by a wealthy couple. It took 4 months to build and was shipped and put together in December 2016, opening just in time for the festive season.
Your magical experience starts with purchasing your antique style tickets at the ornate ticket kiosk. Tickets cost $5.00 each or $12.00 for 3. After a short time queuing, very friendly staff will then see you through the gate as you dash to find the perfect horse. Each horse has a modern safety belt that can be adjusted for different waist sizes, and solid stirrups for stepping up onto the horse. There are also a few bench chairs for accompanying adults to sit on if they aren’t keen to straddle a horse or stand.
The horses are beautifully hand painted with ornate patterns that include mirror pieces to reflect the light. The saddles and bridles are also hand painted on but real reins are attached so that you can hold onto them and pretend you are really riding a horse, which was a big hit with my girls!
All the horses are in slightly different positions, and in varying colours, so my kids were very particular about choosing theirs carefully (and were keen to ride more than once to try out other horses of course!). Each horse has a real hair tail and a jaunty red feather plume on its head. They even have silver horseshoes under their hooves, so every detail has been carefully considered.
This gorgeous moving piece of art is open from 9.30am – 8pm daily. I can imagine how magical the Carousel must look as the evening descends and the lights start twinkling even more.
This Carousel is suitable for children aged 1 upwards, as well as adults. Riders under 1.1m in height must be accompanied by one adult, and of course, if you are not accompanying a child then adults do need to purchase a ticket. The ride lasts about 3-4 minutes at a genteel pace, so we did not experience any dizziness.
Be sure to read the rules located on the side of the ticket kiosk.
The Elizabeth Quay Carousel is located not far from the BHP Billiton Water Park, alongside the striking “Spanda” art sculpture.
There are credit card/eftpos facilities available.
Follow the Elizabeth Quay Carousel on Facebook.
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Georgia Millad is a busy mum of two gorgeous girls. She contributes reviews of kid-friendly places and events around Perth, and has a mild obsession with grammar rules and spelling. Georgia has recently qualified as an EA, expanding on her mum skills to support kids in the classroom.
