The Bendoc Hotel very much lives up to its reputation as the best little bush pub in the middle of nowhere.

‘Where is Bendoc?’, is a fair a question to ask. The historic area is in Victoria, and would be as remote as any Victorian locality.

Bendoc is located just over the NSW/Victorian border, with Delegate its closest town in NSW, only 20 minutes away, and Orbost its closest Victorian town, about 90 minutes away.

Within three hours of Canberra and less than two hours from the Far South Coast of NSW, Bendoc is a must on your next trip.

At the centre of the beaut locality is the hotel. The Bendoc Hotel is much more than a place for a delicious meal, cold beer or place to stay the night, it’s the community hub of the area.

The hotel is the town’s post office, home of social clubs like the revitalised Bendoc Fishing Club, and information centre.

Owners, John Marshall and Caroline Wassink took over the hotel in September 2022 and haven’t looked back. The duo made the move from Darwin where they worked for the Australian Defence Force.

“Bendoc is home for us. I grew up in Orbost and Caroline in Buchan. It’s a return home for us,” John said.

“We are the centre of the community. People tell us we are the big heart of the town.

“From our big raffles to brining the fishing club back to life. We have people coming from all over for a drink and meal.”

Until John and Caroline took charge, meals and accommodation weren’t available at the hotel. The duo has worked hard to deliver a delicious menu and have rooms available.

“Our menu rated nine out of 10 in a Victorian best pub meals guide. We lost a mark because our schnitzels were too big for the plate,” John said.

John and Caroline have restored this beauty of a hotel and brought it back to life. A visit to the Snowy Mountains, must include a trip to Bendoc.