One of Canberra's favourite features is stopping to gather breath and get a good oiling of its old joints.

The merry-go-round in Civic closes Thursday, October 30 and will reopen almost a week later after maintenance and restoration work.

A whole raft of engineers will clamber over it, tightening nuts, checking wiring and generally sprucing the old thing up.

"The check-up includes an annual certification inspection, five-year certification inspection and a full clean and regrease of all mechanical components," the ACT government said.

It was built in 1914 and has been entrancing Canberrans since 1974 when it was bought at auction from Melbourne where it had stood in the Fun Parlour on the esplanade at St Kilda. It was out of commission at the time but had been operating for 60 years, s

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