Seldom Seen Roadhouse

The Seldom Seen Roadhouse ( 37° 6'43.95"S 148°15'0.56"E ) was located near 5373 Gelantipy Rd., Wulgulmerang East in the Shire of East Gippsland, in the north-east of Victoria, Australia about 30 km. from the NSW border.
Seldom Seen is a remote locality in the Victorian high country, close to the Snowy River between the Alpine National Park and the Snowy River National Park. The road is sealed from the Princes Highway at Bairnsdale right through to the Little River Gorge, a short drive to the east of the Seldom Seen roadhouse site. Between Buchan in Victoria and Jindabyne in New South Wales, the Seldom Seen Roadhouse was the only place for fuel along the Snowy. "Mobil" Dave Woodburn was the owner.
Before the bushfires, Seldom Seen Roadhouse was a typical 1960s-era petrol station. The area, including the roadhouse and the nearby settlements of Wulgulmerang, Gelantipy, Suggan Buggan and Black Mountain near Wulgulmerang in Victoria were burnt out in the 2003 Eastern Victorian alpine bushfires. During the fires Dave, his dog Jess, a kangaroo and several geese survived by taking shelter in the dam.
The roadhouse was trading in March 2005 from a caravan, which was then replaced with a more permanent structure.
Dave was originally from Scotland. He always had plenty of time for everyone, a real character of the High Country that will be missed by many not knowing his full story. Dave relied on the small tourist trade during the 1990s and 2000s. Unfortunately that trade was steadily diminishing. A few tourist buses from Melbourne would make the trip through Seldom Seen daily; these stopped also around 2010. He died after accidentally drinking poisonous cleaning fluid in 2012.
Since the passing of the owner the area has been completely cleaned up; all that remains is a hut and phone box.

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