The iconic Civic Carousel has been temporarily closed for urgent maintenance at the start of its most popular season. Photo: Nicholas Ward.
Civic’s iconic merry-go-round has been temporarily closed after a heritage engineer identified a potential fault in the 111-year-old carousel.
The closure came after routine maintenance was degreasing a central bearing and found a loose piece of metal, raising fears it might have been from one of the ride’s gears.
Fortunately, an initial inspection confirmed that it was not caused by damage to the central gears of the machinery; however, repair crews now want to determine its origin before reopening.
Executive group manager of pipeline, capability, and estate Kyla Kerkow said that they are working to get the ride up and running for spring crowds.
“We’re trying to rectify the issue as quickly as possible, but unfortunately, we won’t know when we can reopen the site until we know what the actual fault is,” she said.
Kyla Kerkow said the city is working hard to get the ride operational for Spring when they see a boost in ridership. Photo: Nicholas Ward.
With the carousel being over a century old, repairs are sometimes complex.
Ms Kerkow said that in the past, they have been able to source parts for the machinery locally, but it is still a complex job.
“There’s a lot of moving parts and pieces in there. So, particularly for the diagnostic stage, while we try and find what went wrong, it’s slightly harder.”
Fortunately, the fault was detected during a weekly service, which they hope means a reduced potential for damage in the heritage attraction.
The ride receives regular weekly, yearly, and five-yearly maintenance to keep it in working order. And Ms Kerkow also highlighted upcoming conservation works to protect it going forward.
“Infrastructure Canberra is about to invest up to $225,000 in a plan of maintenance and conservation, and upgrade and restore all necessary pieces.”
The closure was announced early this week by Minister for Youth Rachel Stephen-Smith, who said it was to ensure public safety.
Ms Stephen-Smith said she knew this would be a disappointment for families, especially as the first spring weather arrives.
It’s bad timing for the amusement ride that has entertained Canberrans since 1974, with Floriade set to kick off this weekend.
The carousel, despite its iconic status, has had a bumpy decade, needing major repair works and suffering from reported low ridership in the 2010s.
But it still has a place of pride in the heart of many Canberrans.
Various groups have provided volunteers to protect the ride over the years, including the ANU School of Physical Sciences, the War Memorial, and the College of Advanced Education.
Built in 1914 for the St Kilda Esplanade in Melbourne, it was purchased by the city at a public auction for $40,000 (about $462,000 today) in 1973 and installed the following year.
Civic Carousel’s horses, hand-carved in Germany, and its brass poles were cast in Scotland more than 100 years ago. Photo: Spelio, Flickr.
Its key organ, fifty-two horses, and two elephants were imported from Germany, while the brass poles were made in Scotland, and it was initially operated by a steam engine.
The carousel is operated by disability support not-for-profit Lead, and a ride costs $3.
More information about the carousel’s history can be found at ACT Libraries.
