As roadhouse attractions go, the ‘fake Uluru’ on the Pacific Highway in New South Wales was arguably the most memorable of them all.
Sadly though, after a devastating fire, memories is all that grey nomads and other travellers will have of the iconic landmark north of Newcastle. Nothing but ashes and rubble now remains of The Rock Roadhouse after flames ripped through it. Employees escaped and there have been no reported injuries. The cause of the blaze is still unknown.
Inspector Ben Shepherd from the NSW Rural Fire Service said 18 crews fought the fire to ensure it did not spread to nearby petrol bowsers.
“It is a local landmark and it is well known by many
In happier times … the Rock Roadhouse.
who travel that route, but unfortunately the structure has been completely destroyed by fire,” Mr Shepherd said.
The ABC reports that the 1:40 Uluru replica was built for Leyland Brothers World, a 1990s theme park with amusement rides, the roadhouse and a bush camp. Brothers Mike and Mal Leyland reportedly went bankrupt after pouring more than $1 million into it. It was sold at auction in 1992.
Mal Leyland said he was devastated that his dream was gone.
“I put it behind me many years ago when we lost it all to the banks, and you think it’s dead and buried back in the memory somewhere 20-odd years ago, but nah it’s not the case,” he told the ABC. “All of our money went down the gurgler when we lost it, so I had a strong emotional attachment and I feel quite devastated even though we had no connection with it now.”
In recent years the building was used as a service station and the broader site hosted up to 45,000 school students a year on bush camping excursions
Hundreds of locals and passers-by on the Pacific Highway have been stopping to take photos of the smouldering structure.
We called in for a coffee the day before the fire. Very rundown and neglected – such a sad way for a dream to end.
I heard the fire call going out to the bushfire brigades on my radio scanner at Karuah, Buladelah ,tea gardens and Raymond Terrace. It was hard to beleive that the Rock was on fire. The following day I was driving past the Rock, the ruins were still smouldering , TV crews & Police were on site as were a few RFS crews. many times I visited there , & even took my kids to the place to do the walk around the place as well as climb the Rock. It was very busy when we visited the place in school holidays & the restaurant was packed in 1989.