RSPCA NSW needed to replace the existing horse yards at their Hunter Shelter with a safer, more efficient facility for horse intake and adoption. Cyclo designed and delivered a purpose-built Equine Adoption Centre with custom stable blocks, 13 paddocks and clear movement paths for horses, staff and visitors. The centre increases capacity, improves safety and workflows, and creates a setting that supports stronger welfare and adoption outcomes.
RSPCA NSW is a not-for-profit animal welfare organisation that cares for, protects and rehomes animals across New South Wales through its network of shelters, veterinary hospitals and community programs. They engaged Cyclo to design and deliver a new Equine Adoption Centre at their Hunter Shelter in Rutherford, NSW. The project replaces their existing facilities with a purpose-built equine precinct that supports intake, treatment, rehabilitation and adoption.
The brief called for a facility that could safely house more horses on site, improve staff and animal safety, and provide a clearer, more accessible environment for adoption. The design needed to support day-to-day operations, from first arrival and veterinary assessment through to long-term care and rehoming.
The new centre is organised around two custom-designed stable blocks and a network of paddocks and laneways. The main barn contains four stables with integrated veterinary examination areas, a wash bay, a horse crush and scales, allowing staff to complete most handling and treatment tasks within a controlled environment. A dedicated intake stable block provides a secure area for unhandled or unwell horses during their first days at the shelter.
Surrounding the barn are 13 paddocks sized for pairs of horses, each with shelter and water. The layout allows low-stress movement between paddocks and stables, and gives visitors safe viewing lines during adoption appointments. Two dedicated stallion yards and associated support spaces, including a feed shed and equipment storage, complete the functional layout.
The new Equine Adoption Centre allows more horses to be kept on site rather than on external agistment and streamlines daily routines for staff and volunteers. It supports RSPCA NSW’s ongoing work rehoming horses from the Hunter Shelter and provides a clear, purpose-built setting for adoption and welfare-focused care.
Photo credits: Cyclo Group, RSPCA, Jonathan Carroll © Newcastle Herald/ACM
