TRAGEDY AT MOUNT BULLER: Rising Melbourne Musician, 27, Kil-l-ed in Horror Tree Accident š
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 ofĀ their carĀ on Mount Buller Rd, NortheastĀ 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 āmuch-loved membersā of the Merrijig and Mansfield communities.
AĀ GoFundMeĀ launched for the family says Talae and his brother were raised on Victoriaās snow fields by his parents who managed lodges on the mountain and a retail shop in nearby Mansfield.
āThere are simply no words to describe the shock and heartbreak felt by everyone who knows this beautiful family,ā the fundraiser said.
āTalae was a talented and much-loved young man, cherished by his family, friends and so many people who had the privilege of knowing him.
āHis loss has left an enormous hole in the communities he was so much a part of.ā
Talae was a rising singer-songwriter based out ofĀ 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 hadnāt 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 resortāsĀ 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.
