For almost a century, the statue of a dog sitting on a tuckerbox has been a popular roadside attraction just outside of Gundagai in New South Wales.
Now the famous Dog on the Tucker Box monument is set for an architectural make-over, with Cox Architecture preparing designs for new facilities and public space at the stop-off point along the Hume Highway.
The inspiration for the much-loved monument came from a doggerel poem by a “Bowyang Yorke” circulating from the mid-19th century that, in various versions, depicted a dog either protecting or spoiling the food of a bullock driver down on his luck.
A monument to the dog was first erected in 1926, but the monument that stands today, modelled by Gundagai stonemason Frank Rusconi, was unveiled in 1932 by then prime minister Joseph Lyons.
Chris Millman, a director at Cox, sees the planned architectural intervention as a way to honour the legend and celebrate the resilience of regional Australia.
Dog on the Tucker Box masterplan by Cox Architecture.
“The Dog on the Tucker box is a classic story of true Australian mateship, but also how regional communities doing it tough can battle back to find new ways of attracting visitors and investment,” he said. “This was what was behind the original building of the monument back in 1932 as part of a ‘Back to Gundagai’ week.”
“As we emerge from COVID-19 and the 2019/20 bush fires, we’ve seen a renewed enthusiasm for the great Australian road trip with more people choosing to visit our wonderful destinations in regional areas. The Hume Highway has always been a key route for these travellers and the ‘Dog’ is one of the most popular stopping points between Sydney and Melbourne.”
Working with planning consultants Ethos Urban, Cox had developed a vision centred around the idea of “paddock to plate,” with hospitality offerings serving up high-quality local produce, public open space with views of the rolling Gundagai countryside and active play areas for kids and families.
Ethos Urban associate director Stefan Meissner said the setting provided a great opportunity to create a truly unique destination and that there was the potential to providing accommodation on the site such as hotel rooms or a full-facility caravan park to encourage visitors to stay longer.
Dog on the Tucker Box masterplan by Cox Architecture.
“There’s an opportunity here to create a new gateway for the Riverina region that acts as a destination in itself and attracts people…” he said. “We want to provide visitors with great food and dining that brings in the best of local produce, straight from the farm and paddock.
“We also see an opportunity to create better open space and a quality of experience that eclipses other options on this route to create a destination in itself.”
The plan is being pushed by Canberra developer Superstruct, which says it has entered into an agreement with Gundagai-Cootamundra Council that provides the option to acquire the site for development, subject to planning approval. A masterplan for the site is currently on public exhibition, and the developer says detailed designs could be completed by the end of 2021, with the project then expected to take around two years to build.
Local mayor Abb McAlister said the proposal presented a great opportunity.
“For many years, Council has recognized the important role the Dog on the Tucker Box plays in our community but have not had the financial capacity to reinvest the necessary infrastructure to bring it back to life,” he said. “We welcome the proposed masterplan by SuperStruct. Group as it ensures Council still retains ownership and also ensures the site gets the necessary investment it truly needs.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
