Axedale Tavern: Pub’s roof ripped off in wild storm

A Central Victorian pub owner says he will “battle on” after a wild storm ripped off his roof less than 48 hours after it reopened.

Axedale Tavern owner Garry Van Wynen after storms ripped the veranda off his pub on Wednesday June 9. Picture: Zizi Averill

The Axedale Tavern’s roof was ripped off only days after it reopened as wild weather lashed Central Victoria on Thursday.

Owner Garry Van Wynen was forced to close the doors last week after being named as a Covid exposure site.

He reopened on Tuesday but less than 48 hours later most of his veranda and part of his roof was gone.

Mr Van Wynen said he might be the unluckiest man in the state.

“I don’t know what I’ve done,” he said.

The Bureau of Meteorology recorded wind gusts of up to 76km/h at the nearest station in Bendigo, 20km west of the damaged pub.

Mr Van Wynen was forced to close his business for 14 days after a Covid positive case visited the venue on Sunday May 23.

Axedale Tavern after storms ripped the veranda off the pub on Wednesday June 9. Picture: Zizi Averill

The pub owner said his doors would remain open as the damage was concentrated on the veranda.

“It’s all good, I’ll battle on,” he said.

Customers were heard joking about “black cats” and other ill omens while ordering their coffees on Thursday morning.

The SES Bendigo Unit reported volunteers were out all night attending to damage caused by the wild weather.

It comes after winds as strong as 115km/h brought down trees, power lines and plunged thousands of homes across Victoria into darkness.

An emergency flood alert has been issued in a major Gippsland town after wild weather lashed the state overnight while police have described a Mt Dandenong suburb as a “death trap” due to the falling tree risks.