Stage 2 of the redevelopment of Snake Gully Station and the Dog on the Tuckerbox is underway, with works commencing on the new artisanal bakery, a dog park, and additional electric vehicle charging stations.
Nicole Ciaccia from the Dog on the Tuckerbox says the new artisanal bakery will be ‘one of a kind’ and the only bakery with a ‘farm to fork’ offering in the region.
“As much as we can, we will be sourcing local produce for all our ingredients, including Gundagai Lamb, local chicken and other meat, eggs, fruit and vegetables. We will be milling our own flour on site, so it’s going to be traditional and an artisanal bakery.”
“It’s a very different concept to what is on offer now. We are excited about it because it means that we can expand the food choices we have on offer. Currently, this kiosk is running at max, we are offering travellers as much as we can, within the space that we have.”
“With the new artisanal bakery, we will have bread baked onsite, quiches, pastries, different sandwich offerings, different bread and roll types, different ingredients and a large focus on pastry. So, it will be farm food ‘fast’, is what I’m calling it. Food to go, but real food to go. We will be giving travellers a real alternative to what is currently available in the area,” says Nicole.
“It will be from local farms. This is the food bowl of Australia. I think about the seasonal fruits from the Riverina for our pastries, the stone fruits, peaches, apricots and nectarines, things like that. We’re going to be focusing very much on seasonal produce and as close to ‘paddock to plate’ as possible,” said Nicole.
“We are hoping to source produce from within a 150 kilometre radius, but if we can’t get it in the area, then we’ll go further out. At the moment, most of what we sell is from within 150km. For items that aren’t produced in this area, we’ve had to go elsewhere in Australia, but still with a focus on Australian products .”
The other most notable development in Stage 2 will be the carpark, which will be redone at the same time as the bakery building and will include the installation of fast chargers for electric vehicles.
“We are noticing more electric vehicles stopping at the Dog on the Tuckerbox, and with the price of fuel, people are looking for alternatives. When you’re on a long trip, you need a good place to stop where there is also something to do while your vehicle charges,” said Nicole.
“So, we will have the bakery, the farm shop, and the green space.”
“We are also developing a dog park, which will have fencing and equipment and things like obstacles for dogs to run up and down. That way, travellers will know their dog is fenced in and safe and can relax a little bit more while their dog exercises in the dog park,” explained Nicole.
Among the many exciting things that are in the works for the site are plans for a cultural centre, as well as a pub down the track.
“Our aim is to not just promote Gundagai and the Dog on the Tuckerbox, but to have information available for when people stop, showing travellers there are other cool things within a 45 minute to an hour drive of here and a little bit further on, particularly the Hilltops and the Snowy Valleys and different councils such as Junee, Wagga and Yass Valley,” said Nicole.
Nicole says the work to complete all parts of the redevelopment will take a few years, but the team hope that it is all complete by the Dog on the Tuckerbox Centenary in 2032.
“I would love for everything to be completed before the Centenary in 2032. We take great pleasure in letting visitors know that the Dog on the Tuckerbox was opened the same year as the Harbour Bridge, and by the same Prime Minister. The Harbour Bridge and the Dog on the Tuckerbox will have their 100th birthday in the same year.”
“It would be great to have the site finished so we can celebrate these two iconic Aussie landmarks in their centenary year,” said Nicole.
Nicole said each new stage of the development will bring with it many employment opportunities, and they are looking forward to expanding the team.
“We currently have six on the team at the Kiosk and Farm Shop, which is a decent team for such a small shop. But we will need another 20-25 employees for the bakery.”
“Each building that opens is going to need another couple of dozen employees, so it certainly is creating employment opportunities; particularly teenagers in town, for weekend work and holiday work.”
“Overall, we are having a great time. All members of the team that work out here are locals, and I love that, and they bring that local element. I’m pretty knowledgeable because I grew up going backwards and forwards to Tumut my whole childhood; however, having the local girls here is awesome because they take real pride in what we are doing and their role in this. They grew up learning about it. The Dog on the Tuckerbox is Gundagai pride and so they’re here representing it and educating travellers, and we just have good fun,” said Nicole.
The Dog on the Tuckerbox Kiosk and Farm Shop is open 7 days a week, 9am to 4pm at 37 Annie Pyers Drive, Gundagai NSW 2722. We will be closed on Anzac Day to honour all who have served and continue to serve our country. Lest We Forget.
– Emily Flint
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