Nicole Ciaccia (middle right) and the team at the Dog on the Tuckerbox are working hard to rejuvenate the historic site. Photo: Supplied.
Since reopening in September 2025, The Dog on the Tucker Box has seen thousands of travellers stop and enjoy the iconic rest stop.
The previous owners shut up shop in June 2025, leading the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council to work with a new developer to revitalise the Hume Highway attraction.
After agreeing to a master plan for the site in July last year, the site, under new ownership, reopened only a couple of months later. However it wasn’t until late December, with the school holidays in full flight, that its resurgence in popularity really began.
General manager of the Dog on the Tuckerbox development, Nicole Ciaccia, said there was a feeling of rejuvenation and excitement from the Gundagai community around the location and its future.
“There was not a lot of contemplation from us before taking over the site once the previous owners called time,” Ms Ciaccia said.
“It was a very definite decision that it was an amazing location and an amazing opportunity, and also a huge privilege to take over the custodianship of such an iconic landmark.
“Our mantra going forward is going to be ‘Farm Food Fast’.
“We’re going to see quite a big change to the site over the next couple of years to create a really community-focused yet welcoming site. We’re hoping to have a bakery ready to go by the end of this year so travellers can enjoy it by Christmas 2026.”
Ms Ciaccia said that since 18 December the site had welcomed thousands of tourists.
“Thousands of people came through between the 18th of December and right up until today,” she said.
“We really are only running a kiosk-type offering. So, takeaway sandwiches are freshly made every day; pies and sausage rolls, great coffee, and we’ve got it freshly made on site. Gelato, which is a huge hit.
“So it’s a very small food offering, but what we’re doing, it’s really high quality, and it’s not really like anything else in the area.
“The whole development going forward is based on that concept, giving the traveller an option that isn’t a takeaway food chain.
“All food will be made on premises, locally sourced meats and salad items and things like that. And give people that option, because there is a real turn back to food as close to its natural source as possible, and away from that highly processed fast food stuff.”
While the site is still in its redevelopment phase, Ms Ciaccia said tourists using the Hume Highway should regularly check in and see what’s new.
“Absolutely keep an eye on the development, but also drop into the kiosk and farm shop,” she said.
“We’ve got a lot of local, locally made Riverina-based farm shop products like jams and sauces and honeys and soaps and biscuits and all sorts of things that are made in the Riverina.
“There are things that you can take away and enjoy on the trip.”
