Extract from the 2006 programme:

The inspiration for the this year's cover is a carousel with a long history. It belonged to the Briggs family who transported it to Australia from England in 1886,complete with 20 English horses,10 German horses and the Tidman engine which drove it; no mean feat. The family travelled Australia with it until 1963, when now a shadow of its former self it was aquired by Royal Melbourne Zoo.

In 1993 a complete restoration was begun by Equus art founded by Patricia Mullens. Max Geriana was responsible for carving,replacing broken parts of horses and when the layers of fibre glass and bad painting were removed,the original jewelled harnesses were found still on the horses.

Bob Clutterbuck was responsible for the beautiful landscapes full of wild animals which adorn the the carousel and Patricia Mullens herself reproduced the original dappling process used in 1885 by G & J Lewis the makers of the English horses. She even painted one horse as a tribute to the famous Whistlejack painted by Subbs. The restoration process was completed in 2005,a total of twelve years work!

This now stunning Carousel is a showpiece at the Zoo often being hired for special occasions such as weddings. It is not possible to emulate the magnificence of a victorian carousel on a small stage, but this year in a collaboration between Border Studios, Utopia Costumes and A.P.O.S. we think we have been a little ingenious.