The Big Rocking Horse at the Toy Factory in Gumeracha in South Australia is the largest rocking horse in the world.
The Big Rocking Horse is made to a 20:1 scale of the Toy Factory’s stock made rocking horse sold by the factory. It has a length of 10.5 metres and a height of 6.1 metres. It is elevated off the ground so it sits higher than that.
There are three observation platforms you can climb up to on the rocking horse for a small fee per person. The first sits in the rocking bows, nearly 5 metres up. Climb up the leg and you reach the middle platform, over 10 metres up. The top observation platform is reached by climbing up the mane to the top of the head, 18.3 metres from the ground.
Unlike the wooden rocking horse toys it has been modeled after, it has been built out of steel, 25 tonnes of it.
The Toy Factory has been operating for decades, making toys from timber sourced from plantations in Tasmania and New Zealand. Tours are available to be guided through the processes of making the toys.
Toys can be purchased directly from the Toy Factory, either in kit form or as already assembled. Rocking horses are available, as you would expect, but there are other wooden toys to choose from.
Trucks, cars, planes, pullalong toys, storage boxes, doll houses, toy wooden prams, kids table and chairs, and many other things. There is even a wooden toy cash register.
For something else to do while you are there, there is a small wildlife park you can have a look at. It has a small fee to access but for a couple of bucks per person it is good value.
The wildlife park has native animals and a few others that are not. Feeding the animals is welcomed with feed available from the shop.
To get there:
About 30km from Adelaide, head west along the North East Rd or Lower North East Rd, heading towards Birdwood. Before reaching Gumeracha there is a brown sign for Gumeracha Attractions. Entering Gumeracha along Torrens Valley Rd, continue through the town. You will see a brown sign 300m before The Big Rocking Horse, which will be on your right.
From Federation Park where there is a self-serve visitor information centre, head back out to the main road and turn left. Follow Torrens Valley Road for 800m and The Big Rocking Horse will be on your right.