LEEDERVILLE jewellers Rohan and Toni Milne are bringing a $500,000 hand built Venetian carousel to Elizabeth Quay.
The Coolbinia couple was inspired by the traditional carousel when they were holidaying in San Sebastian with their daughters Winnie (7) and Piper (5) in 2012.
“At the end of the beach there’s a two-storey carousel and every morning the kids would go on it,” Mr Milne said.
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“It didn’t cost a lot so they could go on it a few times.
“We’d do the same thing in the evenings… walk around with a glass of sangria and the kids would be on the carousel again.”
Mr Milne said they approached the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority with The Elizabeth Quay Carousel concept and they “were rapt with the idea”.
“One of the key things I was adamant about was that we had to make it work at a certain price point,” he said.
“It’s something beautiful to enhance the city and it will be the cheapest thing to do in Perth.”
The carousel will have capacity for 40 adults or 43 children and cost $5 a ride or $12 for three rides.
Mr Milne, who opened a second Rohan Jewellery store in the State Buildings earlier this year, said the carousel was handmade and hand painted in a traditional style that resonated with the Rohan Jewellery brand.
“We haven’t spent time in the city for years but with the new store at the State Buildings we walk down here and have lunch and bring the kids down,” he said.
“In years to come our kids will be bringing their kids down here and going on the carousel and remembering when mum and dad instigated this.”
The carousel is on a boat from Italy and is expected to arrive on Perth’s shores in mid December.
It will take about a week to assemble and be ready for customers before Christmas.