The Dog on the Tuckerbox – part of Australian history

The Dog on the Tuckerbox Statue Vandalised

Over the weekend the iconic and cherished statue of The Dog on the Tuckerbox, was senselessly vandalised. Why anyone would do this, or vandalise anything, is totally beyond me.

Family tradition

For generations, visitors and families from all over the world have stopped, five miles from Gundagai, to view the statue and perhaps throw some coins into the surrounding moat – all donations going to the Gundagai Hospital.

The statue is part of Australian folklore, part of our history built in honour of the pioneers.

As a child, with my parents, sister and brother, we always paused to see the statue, have a picnic and buy some apples by the roadside when we traveled between Melbourne and Sydney, complete with a caravan built by my darling dad.

We continued this tradition with our own children as many families do.

The Dog on the Tuckerbox Picture Book by Corinne Fenton and Illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe, Black Dog Books (Walker Books Australia).

In 2007/08 I made many trips to Gundagai while reseaching and writing my picture book The Dog on the Tuckerbox, illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe and published by Black Dog Books (Walker Books Australia.) In 2008 the book was launched at the Gundagai Library.

In 2017 another book, this one about an old-fashioned family holiday, Little Dog and the Summer Holiday, was released which contains two double spreads of Gundagai where the family stop at the statue of The Dog on the Tuckerbox and stay the night in Gundagai.

I’m certain many people share my happy memories of this special place and the special statue and although the dog has been damaged I’m sure it will be back sitting on the tuckerbox as soon as it can be repaired.

Where you can purchase

The Dog on the Tuckerbox is available in all bookshops (if not in stock they can always order it in) but I know it’s available at Collins Booksellers in Croydon, at Bullocky Bill’s in Gundagai and at the Gundagai Tourist Information Centre and Gundagai Newsagent.

Little Dog and the Summer Holiday is available at all bookshops (or can be ordered in.)