He Had His Whole Life Ahead of Him…A Promising Young Life Cut Short in an Instant: The Heartbreaking Mount Buller Tragedy That Claimed a Beloved Musician
An up-and-coming musician has been identified as the man killed in a horror ski field accident.
Talae Rodden, 27, was being driven by his mother, 64-year-old Sally Rodden, when a tree fell on top of their car on Mount Buller Rd, Northeast Victoria, about 9.15am on Monday.
Advanced life support paramedics attended were among the emergency services who raced to the crash. However, Talae died at the scene.
Meanwhile, Sally was rushed to Wangaratta Hospital in a serious condition with an upper-body injury.
The crash occurred near the Mount Buller snow field, one of several communities in the region where the Rodden family are “much-loved members” of the Merrijig and Mansfield communities.
A GoFundMe launched for the family says Talae and his brother were raised on Victoria’s snow fields by his parents who managed lodges on the mountain and a retail shop in nearby Mansfield.
“There are simply no words to describe the shock and heartbreak felt by everyone who knows this beautiful family,” the fundraiser said.
“Talae was a talented and much-loved young man, cherished by his family, friends and so many people who had the privilege of knowing him.
“His loss has left an enormous hole in the communities he was so much a part of.”
Talae was a rising singer-songwriter based out of Melbourne, performing under the name Ricewine.
He had played at large events such as SXSW in Sydney and Fest by Inner West in October 2025, but hadn’t released any new music since.
His most popular song, Summer Spent, has earned more then 1.1 million views on Youtube since being published in 2022.
The tragic incident happened during the alpine resort’s snow season, with wintry conditions and fog reported in the area.
Police are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, with an investigation ongoing.
Anyone with information has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
