Seth with his restored butcher’s cart from Wunghnu.
Photo by
Barb Love
Seth Hall has been collecting and restoring horse-drawn buggies and gigs over 50 years — and at 84 years of age, he isn’t ready to stop yet!
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Inside two huge sheds on his 12-acre property stands his pride and joy, a collection of 18 gigs and 25 buggies. Most are in magnificent condition; however, several are still in the throes of restoration. And despite the massive shedding, there is still room for more!
Seth’s dad ran a farm in Ringwood and one of the delights of his young son’s life was going into town with Dad in the family Phaeton, a sporty open carriage that could be driven by either one or two horses. With a lightly sprung body with open seating atop four large wheels, it was considered fast and dangerous at the time.
The thrill of the Phaeton never left Seth, yet it was only when he moved to Cobram in 1968 after working for some years as a fitter and turner at the Australian Jam Factory in South Yarra that he gained a renewed interest in horse-drawn vehicles.
Seth purchased 42 acres on the Cobram-Koonoomoo Rd, where he ran a small herd of beef cattle and worked a range of jobs. After some time, he gained employment at Bates Pumps in Tocumwal where he remained for 20 years until he retired.
Seth joined the Barooga Football Netball Club at the age of 32. Yes, he was a late starter, but he nonetheless enjoyed the game in the reserves, getting fit and making friends with his teammates.
Over the years, Seth remained on the lookout for something interesting to restore. In the process would seek assistance from upholsterers Ron Schulz of Barooga and Eddy Hay from Albury and skilled woodworker Jonathan Rhodes when needed. Seth also occasionally would find an old buggy desperately in need of repair, and he would put it back together with parts he had in his shed, putting the name of the original owner on the side.
He is particularly proud of a butcher’s cart previously owned by Jim Carlisle of Finest Quality Meats in Wunghnu, which delivered meat throughout the district as far as Invergordon. Pulled by the ever-reliable horse Snowy, the cart bore the butcher’s telephone number, ‘Wunghnu 10’, on its side.
Buggies and gigs were a popular form of transport before the introduction of motorised vehicles, with buggies having four wheels and gigs just two. Carriages, meanwhile, were fancy upmarket vehicles preferred by the wealthy, who would employ a driver.
Seth Hall’s amazing collection today has plenty of variety, including an impressive buggy dating back almost 120 years. “I am not really looking these days, but if something special comes along I could be interested,” Seth said.
“Yulie, my wife of 49 years, always supported my passion and encouraged me, even though she wasn’t very interested in horses. We won ribbons at local shows and I enjoyed that, but I really entered just to make up the numbers.”
Seth with just some of his buggies.
Photo by
Barb Love
Today Seth owns three gentle horses: Leo, the boss of the trio, who stands 15.1hh, Katerina (14.2hh) and five-year-old Gyzmo (15hh). The trio is used primarily to pull gigs and buggies driven by Seth, whose two little canine companions, Susie and Jyp, follow him around his Cobram property.
Seth participates generally on a monthly basis in Finley Trail Rides, which is a great achievement and testimony to the fitness level of a man of his years.
How has a young man from the city, who has lived on the same Cobram property for 57 years, found the country life?
“I have enjoyed the life and the people! The area has really grown and developed, and it’s still going ahead,” Seth said.
Footnote: Seth’s beloved wife of 49 years, Yulie, passed away sadly on November 17, 2024. She was the adored mother of Simon and Kristie and a loving grandmother to six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
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