It’s a long drive to the Bendoc pub for a drink, situated in the isolated far East Gippsland town on the New South Wales border, unless you’re one of the 100 odd locals who live in the town.
Lately, there’s been renewed interest in having a drink at the pub ever since John Marshall and his partner, Caroline Wassink, took over the iconic hotel earlier this year.
The couple had been holidaying in Bendoc in January 2022 when they saw the pub for sale.
Mr Marshall, who is from Orbost, has family ties to Bendoc – his mother, Shelley Marshall, grew up in the town.
His grandparents, Kitch and Ruth Jamieson, worked in the town and are well known in the area.
For Mr Marshall, the dream of working in a town steeped in family history was a no-brainer.
Ms Wassink, from Buchan, didn’t take much convincing either.
The couple had both worked for the armed forces in Darwin and the chance to return to Victoria and be closer to family was too enticing.
Mr Marshall had been a combat engineer with the army and remains an active reservist, while Ms Wassink was a specialist dog handler with the Royal Australian Air Force.
IMAGE: John Marshall and Caroline Wassink are breathing fresh life back into the historic Bendoc Hotel. K432-6853
