Dad, Dave, Mum and Mabel Statues

These statues are a tribute to Steele Rudd’s famous “Snake Gully” characters – Dad, Dave, Mum and Mabel. This life size family has been immortalised in copper by sculptor Aurel Ragus.

The characters of Dad and Dave are a well-known part of Australia’s cultural history. Created by Steele Rudd for his ‘On Our Selection’ novels, Dad, Dave, Mum and Mabel, were characters set against the backdrop of land selection in the late 19th century. The humour of the ‘On Our Selection’ novels struck a chord with readers, and the Dad and Dave characters formed the basis for a couple of silent films: On Our Selection (1920) and Rudd’s New Selection (1921). During the 1930s the characters became the basis of a popular radio series, Dad and Dave.

The characters are on permanent display in Carberry Park adjacent to Gundagai Visitor Information Centre on Sheridan Street, Gundagai!