Australia’s Largest Maker of Heirloom Rocking Horses

Rocking Horse Lodge offers old fashion country pleasures in the picturesque Hawkesbury, near historic Windsor.

This place is for lovers of antiques & Childhood Memories.

Rocking Horse Lodge is a country retreat set on 10 acres, with the peace and serenity, clean fresh country air and hospitality, located 52 Km from Sydney.

Chris Woolcock's rare rocking horses at McGraths Hill

CHRIS Woolcock of McGraths Hill is the only known person in Australia whose full-time occupation is making and restoring rocking horses.

And each of his products is unique. No two horses are alike.

Working 12 hours a day, Mr Woolcock designs, cuts, and carves every day and produces 200 horses a year at Rocking Horse Lodge, 143 Pitt Town Road.

He cuts and carves the head of each horse and then screws four legs onto a base.

From there Mr Woolcock carves the detail into each horse's head and shapes the legs.

The horses are then given to his partner, Viktoria Darabi, to paint and install the miniature saddle, which is crafted by a saddler.

The couple have also restored rocking horses that are more than 100 years old.

Ms Darabi says there has been a renaissance in rocking horses ``because they reflect happier, innocent simple times''. The name of the business is appropriately Renaissance Rocking Horses.

Visitors are welcome to tour the house and inspect the collection of antique prams and porcelain dolls.

And you'll also be able to tour the organic vegetable garden and see the sheep, turkeys and chickens.

``A lot of people want to make rocking horses, but it's a daunting task to start from scratch,'' Mr Woolcock said.