In the Adelaide Hills you will find Gumeracha’s Big Rocking Horse, Toy Factory & Wildlife Park.
Situated in the pretty town of Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills and only 40 minutes from Adelaide you will find Australia’s number one ‘Big Aussie Icon’ The Big Rocking Horse, as judged by wotif.com.au. Standing out for all to see in red and white, this is the World’s Biggest Rocking Horse! And yes, you can climb this Australian icon and receive a certificate of achievement once you climb back down.
There are three viewing platforms as you climb the rocking horse. The first platform is reached via stairs, but to reach the upper platforms you will need to climb ladders. These ladders do have surrounding cages and grips on the bars. There’s also a swing gate at the top of the longest ladders, to prevent any falls.
The Big Rocking Horse and the Toy Factory also boast a lovely Wildlife Park, Mini Golf, and Picnic Area. A venue for the entire family to enjoy, a visit to The Toy Factory is a fun, educational and rewarding experience.
Wildlife Park
The Wildlife Park is a delightful attraction allowing children to get right up close to a range of animals and birds. There’s over 7 acres of wildlife park containing a variety of native animals such as kangaroos, wallabies and emus.
You will also find some farm animals such as goats, alpacas and sheep. The ponds too are teeming with native and domestic ducks and geese. There are a few beautiful peacocks roaming around, and if you are lucky enough to find one of their feathers you can either purchase it at the front desk for $4.00 ($2.00 for small feathers), or hand it in. A path meanders through the park making it easy to stroll amongst the animals and admire the native flora and fauna.
Entry is only $5* to the wildlife park and be sure to buy some animal food on the way in (sold in the shop) so the kids can hand feed the animals. The bags of food can be purchased for $2* each.
Mini Golf
The newest attraction added in 2024 is a small mini golf course. You’ll find 9 holes set amongst animal statues. The cost is $10* per person, and there’s a range of clubs for different sized kids and adults, and your choice of golf ball colour. (*price in 2024).
Each mini golf hole is well designed, and the compact and simple layout makes it especially suitable for little kids to have a go – it’s not too challenging. Adults will still be challenged enough though, trying to get an elusive hole in one.
Licensed Cafe – Closed as of September 2024
The cafe is currently closed due to storm damage. However, during our most recent visit, there were plenty of food and drink options. There are ice creams, drinks and snacks available in the toy factory shop, and drinks, chips and ice creams available outside during busy times. Food trucks may also be present, and the fenced outdoor seating and undercover picnic tables are still available.
The Toy Factory has been producing quality wooden toys in their factory for more than 40 years. They offer guided tours of the facility during the week for school aged children, where they talk about the timber and the various processes involved in making the toys.
The shop front sells a huge range of their own wooden toys direct to the public at factory outlet prices, along with many other toys, gifts and souvenirs at prices to suit every budget.
Picnic and Play Area
There is a lovely, grassed picnic and play area just next to the Rocking Horse, where you can sit and enjoy the surrounds of the area. A cubby house, ride on cars and playground keep the kids amused for ages. There is plenty of seating and tables provided as well. Even better, this area is fully fenced with childproof gates. All of the equipment here is toddler friendly. There’s even toddler-sized picnic tables.
There is also a small playground suitable for older children near the carpark – this play area is not fenced.
Don’t forget to check out the “mini” version of the rocking horse, and the giant picnic bench for photo opportunities. There’s also plenty of bright murals around the buildings. Even the toilet blocks are beautifully painted.
Opening Hours:
- Open 9am – 5pm every day (except Christmas Day)
- Wildlife Park closes at 4.30pm
- PLEASE SEE WEBSITE FOR ALL PRICING
Please note: They are closed on catastrophic fire warning days.
For more information and all enquiries please visit The Toy Factory website.
What: The Toy Factory & The Big Rocking Horse
When: Open 9am to 5 pm | 7 Days a week (closed Christmas Day)
Where: 452 Torrens Valley Road, Gumeracha (see map here)
Who: Families
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
All photos by Play & Go – updated photos January 2023 and September 2024
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