(NOTE: I wrote this article in January 2019 but never published it as I had hoped to visit more of the huts within Kosciuszko National Park. 

 However, hard though it may be to recognise the fact in these corona strewn days, not all tragedies are human: in the great bushfires of early January 2020, 4 of the 5 huts of which I have written, to the south of the Snowy Mountains Highway, were lost including the enchanting Four Mile. Others which I have never visited were also burnt down, more were damaged but still stand. All of Kiandra was burnt. 

Their structures encapsulated the history of the region and the people who defined the landscape. Their loss will be felt keenly by anyone who loves Kosciuszko and the Australian bush. I only hope that they will one day once again, with the unstinting and heroic efforts of the KHA, arise from the ashes.

I am publishing the article now in recognition of what we have lost.)

There are nearly 80 huts in Kosciuszko National Park, each with a tale to tell. Here is a selection found largely at the upper end of the park to the north of the Snowy Mountains Highway, with the final 5 just to its south. 

45,000 years of living in Australia teaches you a thing or two. The white man may be quick to accuse the aborigine of sitting under a tree all day but it’s hot out there! It seems immanently sensible to me – in fact I am not sure human beings are even designed to live in such oven-like temperatures. It was 44° in inland NSW and not getting much cooler at night, so a trip to Kosciuszko and the high plains seemed a sensible option.

The aborigines knew a thing or two about Kosciuszko too: they knew it had particularly tasty bogong moths and made an annual trip in early summer. Then the graziers arrived in the 1830’s with their cattle, then those who sought gold and later those that held the snow leases, grazing huge amounts of sheep and cattle in the summer months, walking them in from as far away as the Riverina.

Everyone has left their mark on the land which is now within the National Park but the graziers have probably had the biggest long term influence. They left enough of their horses behind to create a wild brumby issue that today divides political parties and individuals, with cries of save the brumby on the one hand and complete extermination on the other.

Less contentious these days and indeed now generally considered a good thing and part of the patrimony of the park, the huts of Kosciuszko have their own association which looks after and restores those that have managed to both weather the ravages of  time and changing political thought on their existence.

They are a diverse bunch. Many were built by the graziers, some by miners, a few for fishing or skiing. All have an interesting history, even those that have fallen in a forgotten heap, only a few scraps of tin or a stone fireplace marking where they once stood. Some were burnt down,  particularly in the fierce bushfires of 2003, but were lucky enough to have been rebuilt.

An exploration of the huts can provide hours of entertainment, both in tracking them down and reliving their history. The following are all found in the northern area of the park, north of the Snowy Mountains Highway. Each holds an echo of the past: maybe you will be lucky enough to hear it too.

Huts to the North of the Highway

Long Plain Homestead

GPS:  – 35.698697, 148.539295

Long Plain is an easily accessible hut just 4 km off the Snowy Mountains Highway by a good 2WD track. It was built in 1916 and originally had a shingle roof, but this was rapidly replaced by corrugated iron when it failed in the first winter. The lease was a subdivision of the original 20,000 acre Long Plain lease.

It is a good sized house, so much so that one of its rooms was used as a dancehall on occasion, the piano being hauled up from Rules Point. The Rules Point hotel did not have a dancehall separate from the licenced premises so was not allowed to hold dances. One memorable occasion was the celebration to mark the end of World War One.

During the 1930’s the hut was often used by rabbit trappers, supplementing their income in the Depression years.

There is a popular campsite with good views out over the plain, and to one side, a horse camping area.

Tip: Have a look for Yorkie’s grave. The miner died in 1892 and is buried in the forest 5 minutes walk below the horse camp. From the camp area, look for a dead tree, much higher than the surrounding ones, and you will find his grave underneath it. His hut lay in the clearing beyond but has totally disappeared.

Cooinbil

GPS: – 35.355241, 148.382357

This is another popular stop at the top of Long Plain and easily accessible by 2WD vehicles. The hut was actually built in 1902 for bedroom accommodation. They had intended to build a verandah on the front as well but it never happened for some reason.  Both the wooden lined rooms have a fireplace and have been well restored after a black sallee fell on the building in 1987.

The little kitchen and fireplace building to one side off the wide verandah was once a link to the main house which was built in the 1860’s but has been lost. The 1902 lease extended to 16,690 acres and one of the conditions was that a 13 wire dog proof fence had to be erected around the boundary within two years – no wonder there is still so much wire lying on the plains.

Sheep were walked in from the Riverina, a journey which took 6 weeks. The number was usually between 5000 to 7000 but on one occasion it was 11,000. There was also a mob of up to 200 cattle and some 40 horses with 5 workmen to look after them all. The old stockyards stood where the horse yards stand today .

Mail came in twice a week and there was even a telephone line – quite impressive as it is nearly impossible to get mobile reception today!

Coolamine

GPS: – 35.609275

Picturesquely situated amidst rolling hills, Coolamine is a fine example of a once busy working homestead.  It has been well restored with two large houses and a garage. This tin building was actually once used as the kitchen for the main house and was built in 1921 after the original slab one burnt down in 1919. There is also the 1889 Cheese Hut, one of the few solid interlocking log timber constructions in the park. The large logs and thatched roof were designed to keep the building cool in order to store cheese.

The Southwell House was built in 1882 by the Southwells, who were managers for Frederick Campbell. and was  originally a two room dwelling with a third room and sleepout added in the 1890’s. Some of the old newspapers that were glued to the wall for insulation date back to 1883.

The adjacent Campbell House dates back to 1892 and was built for Frederick Campbell who owned the lease. Traces of horsehair insulation can still be seen in the roof which was steeply pitched to avoid the accumulation of snow.

On the hillside above there is an old wagon which is in a scenic state of decay, and some corrals. The double dunny is also unusual!

Tip: A couple of km further on, it is worth pausing to visit the classic karst scenery around Blue Waterholes where a beautiful limestone creek flows under a towering cliff face. Some rock hopping and paddling will take you along the clear waters of Cave Creek through the spectacular high walls of Clark Gorge – look out for platypuses! In the other direction, the dry Nichols Gorge has caves to be explored and a breathtaking walk back along the rugged plain. 

Old Currango Homestead

GPS: – 35.690160

This is the oldest building in the park and one of the most characterful. Built about 1873 of hand split mountain ash, it has spectacular views overlooking the Currango Plains towards Mt Bimberi. Inside, layers of decoration are revealed from paper lined walls to fading wallpaper – some of the pages make quite amusing reading. It has a large kitchen with a fireplace, as well as a living room, bedroom and office.

There is no vehicle access but a walking track across the plain connects it to the Currango Homestead if the water is sufficiently low in Tantangara Reservoir. Walkers on the AAWT heading south from Ghost Gully will find themselves following a line of old telephone poles: these were part of the line which once connected Old Currango Homestead with the now ruined Rules Point Hotel.

Currango Homestead 

GPS: – 35.726693

There is 2WD vehicle access along the Tantangara road to this homestead cluster which has been well restored and maintained by the Park. 

There had been a summer grazing camp on this site as far back as 1839, but in 1851 a permanent homestead was established. Much of the complex has survived and today it is one of the few areas where people can stay in relative  comfort within the park.

The main house has simple rooms and the men’s quarters also offer accommodation with a gloriously dated kitchen. There is also the self contained Daffodil Cottage and paddocks for those who want to bring their own horse. It is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the tranquility of the park at all hours.

Anyone is welcome to stop by and explore the buildings. When we visited there was a small one room photography exhibition of the local brumbies in the main house. There are some large well established trees and a garden, old corrals and work sheds (a couple of which have minor museums within their cobwebby confines) and even a dog kennel.

Tip: If you want to meet lots of friendly kangaroos, then this is one of their favourite hang outs! 

Hainsworth Hut

GPS: – 35.401606, 148.360516

Lying in a small sheltered valley to the south east of the Mosquito Creek Trail, this tin hut was built around 1951 and has a great outlook across the valley to forested slopes. Little Dip Creek is virtually invisible between deep banks, a hidden gem with beautiful crystal clear waters. The dip yards were actually further up the valley: today, only faint traces are left of their base and run and some old fencing remnants. To the west are the open expanses of Long Plain.

The hut has a nice wooden floored, tin walled room with a big open fireplace and 2 doors – beware the three legged table! To one side is another room, rather bare and dark with only one window. On the AAWT, it is a popular stop for long distance hikers. There is no vehicle access but it is only about 3 km from Ghost Gully which is 2WD accessible.

Bill Jones’ Hut

GPS: – 35.650577

William Travis Jones held the grazing lease here from the 1930’s to the 1970’s and this was probably the last grazing hut to be built in the park, in 1952.

It is probably one of the least interesting, being fairly functional, but is another possible stop on the AAWT.  It has just one large timber framed room with a fireplace to one end, and the dirt floor makes it seem fairly grubby. There is a small verandah with a bed frame that looks a better option than the interior.

The old dunny had blown over when we visited, revealing the remains of a dead possum. 

A little spring to one side is shallow and gets quite churned up by the brumbies – a major source of irritation to those on the AAWT, judging by the visitor’s book: one walker complained that it was unhygienic!

However it does stand amidst the stunning scenery of the Coleman Karst Limestone area on Tantangara Plain and is another approach route to the Blue Waterholes. 

Millers Hut

GPS: – 35.540053

About 2.5 km east of Ghost Gully on the Port Phillip Trail, a faint vehicle track leads off to the south by the AAWT, taking a circuitous 1.1 km route to Miller’s Hut. A shorter footpad follows the tree line and indeed no vehicle access is allowed today. It is well hidden in light forest and is a fairly ramshackle little thing, but offers a secluded camp spot on the AAWT.

The original slab hut was built by Henry Miller in 1916 but it was rebuilt of corrugated iron by Theo and Ben Miller in the 1930’s. It is notable for having its door near the fireplace, considered the warmest option at the time. 

Hains Hut

GPS: – 35.461156, 148.35297

The Hains Hut Trail drops down to the Murrumbidgee River and this scenically located hut is beloved by fishermen. Built of corrugated iron in 1948 on a 1600 acre lease, it is a large one roomed tin hut. There is an efficient fireplace, an old table and stool and a drawer. There is also a wooden bunk.

Despite being in a lovely location on the edge of a creek running into the Murrumbidgee, it feels a rather neglected hut, a little off the beaten track. The hut is accessed from the Bullocks Hill Trail, about 4 km after a locked gate on Tantangara Creek. The long downhill detour is enough to deter many AAWT walkers, so it is mostly visited by horse riders, fishermen and the odd hiker.

Sadly it is also well loved by swallows and it is pretty filthy inside with their dropping splashes throughout. It is also an extremely dusty hut: I think the wind must blow the dust up through the floorboards. However, it is in good order and as dry as any on a wet day.

Tip: Cross the stream in front of the hut and follow the brumby tracks to the top of the small bluff for wonderful views. 

Pockets Hut

GPS: – 35.657611

This place qualifies as a homestead rather than a hut, with four spacious rooms, one with a large fireplace. Painted in a striking ox blood colour, it was built in the early 1930’s as part of Currango Station and is to the north of the Blue Waterholes Trail. It is another AAWT stop and sits in a large clearing with light forest to all sides. The track in leads past some old yards.

Oldfield’s Hut

GPS: – 35.677478, 148.7551

This is one of my favourite huts, sitting on both the AAWT and the BNT. From the locked gate on Tantangara Road, it takes a good hour to walk in and there is a steep hill to the saddle above it. The road then drops steeply down to the hut which has a large clearing below it, and even some old fruit trees to one side. There are a few remnants of yards in the scrub below.

It was built in 1925 and at 10 m by 3 m is one of the largest huts in the park. The lease, which was held by Bill Oldfield until 1948 covered 4,500 acres. It is a beautifully solid timber slab hut with lots of character and great views towards Mt Bimberi. The wide verandah gives it a Western air and there is even a handy hitching rail. It has a beautiful warm glow in the morning light.

Inside it has been tidily restored, with one room with fireplace,  table and stools, an adjacent room with a bed frame and a third room accessed from the verandah which has an old meat safe in it. It has a water tank to one end and a dunny hidden in the Kentish cherries.

Tip: Take a hike up Mount Bimberi Peak: at 1,911 m it is the highest mountain in the ACT and there are great views.

Witses Hut

GPS: – 35.484207, 148.350005

Another characterful old hut,  rebuilt in 1952 using timber from the 1890’s Tantangara Homestead. It is interesting for its great timber slabs, some of which still have pieces of old newspapers stuck to them, used for insulation. Curiously you can even find a few paper remnants on the outside of the building: this is because some of these slabs would have come from the interior walls of the old homestead.

There is no verandah and the roof seems to fall curiously short, with little overhang. Inside, there is one large room with a fireplace to one end, a table, stool and a couple of rough bed frames. It is all in good order and a popular stop on the AAWT route.

It sits in light forest just on the western edge of Blanket Plain and there are many brumbies in the area, though there is little view as such from the hut. There is a minor creek on its eastern side and a dunny just above which has a better view than the hut!

Gooandra Hut

GPS: – 35.480231, 148.321161

There was a miner’s hut on this site dating back to the 1860’s which continued to be occupied even when grazing commenced in the area. However when Fred Lamps bought the lease in 1903, he purchased the hut from the diggers for £20 and used it as a kitchen and eating area. Two large tents provided accommodation but around 1913 they decided better housing was required.

The building you see today was actually an existing one which was transported from Lobbs Hole/Yarrangobilly junction by bullock dray. Although it was not occupied in the winter months, it could justifiably be called a homestead. As well as the original hut, there was another accommodation hut and a woolshed on the flat above the house – from 1914 there was even a telephone line to Kiandra. Kerosene lamps were used for lighting and water came from the creek beside the house.

Today only the rather impressive fireplace remains of the original hut but the homestead has been beautifully restored and sits in a lovely location with the slope of the hill below it falling away to Tantangara Plain. It has a central hallway with 2 rooms to one side and a large living room with a fireplace to the other. There are some basic chairs and tables and a bed you wouldn’t want to go near but the front verandah has a great view and it is a super place to while away the day.

Townsends Hut

GPS: – 35.784443

Built around 1940 as part of a grazing lease, this hut enjoys the most beautiful sweeping views from its verandah over the  Murrumbidgee River. 5000 Merinos were fattened up here every summer and there were once yards above the hut, though they have long vanished.

It has been well restored and is a simple one room affair with some basic furniture. There is no interior fireplace. On one wall is a picture of the old owner crossing the Murrumbidgee on his pony and there is some history of the hut within the visitors book.

There is no vehicle access. Park below Tantangara Dam wall by the old bridge and walk in 3.8 km via the Pedens Hut trail. Alternatively, follow the brumby pads along the Murrumbidgee from the same area for a more direct route.

Tip: Bring a fishing rod, the Murrumbidgee is a popular fly fishing nodestination.

Peden’s Hut

GPS: – 35.774232

Another fairly basic hut, this was built in 1929 by Bill Adams of Adaminaby using iron and timber slabs from a 1890’s slab hut. It was badly damaged by wombats over the years attracted by the salt in the ground where salt licks for the cattle had been stored.

Now well restored with tin, it sits roughly between Townsend Hut and Love Nest in the Sallees so is easy to combine with a visit to these two. The scenic banks of the Murrumbidgee are close by.

Love Nest in the Sallees Hut

I  always think someone was taking the mickey with this hut, supposedly built in 1948 for illicit love trysts. It is small and basic with an old home made wooden bed frame with a very saggy base. However on a horrible night with its fire going, it could probably look quite cosy. The exterior is clad in old, very rusty flattened Shell petrol tins.

It sits in the black sallees above Patten’s Creek and can be a bit tricky to find – I could not even track down the GPS coordinates. Is it worth the finding? That is for you to find out – it is certainly something different. Frighteningly enough, it may be the most authentic hut in the park!

The easiest access is along the Murrumbidgee River Trail, about 7 km from a locked gate on the Tantangara Road near Currango. Look for the unmarked grassy vehicle track on your left as the track enters its final descent to the river flats below.

Schofield’s Hut

GPS:  – 35.852537, 148.67525

This simple tin hut is in good shape and is known for its 16 pane window and though it rather lacks character, it is comfortable enough. Inside there is just the one rather bare room with a fireplace to one end, a table and a chair.

It sits in a clearing with tall grass, quite close to Nungar Plain, though that can only be just barely glimpsed through the trees. There is an overgrown creek and old sheep yards nearby. I found the old posts and tangled rusty wire quite photogenic. There are also a few old tin containers scattered around.

There is no vehicle access but one can park at the locked gate north of Ware’s Yards on the Tantangara Road and walk in the 5 or so km. Ware’s Yards is a popular horse camp so this hut sees quite a lot of horse riders, including those on the BNT which goes past its door.  However, most seem to prefer to go on to camp at Circuits Hut, 5 km further north, though actually the grass and water is much better at this one.

Circuits Hut

GPS: – 35.8189056

Another BNT stop, this homestead was built in 1937 for the princely sum of £243. It once ran 5000 sheep and 200 cattle. Sitting amongst the black sallees, it overlooks Gulf Plain and has four good sized rooms, three of which have basic bed frames,the other a big fireplace and an ancient fridge. It was part of only three freehold grazing properties in what is now the park.

There is a good clearing in front of it with a fire ring and an antique dunny just behind it – there is actually a modern version further back up the hill. Nearby there are numerous hawthorn trees: it is often quite easy to spot where the old homesteads or yards are, or have been, by the presence of non-native trees.

About 4 km north of Schofield’s Hut, people often combine a visit to the two. However, beware! It is said to be haunted by the ghost of James Davin, a station manager, who became lost in a blizzard and died nearby. His long beard was cut off and nailed over the mantelpiece and supposedly the door blows open so his ghost can come and reclaim it.

Gavels Hut

GPS: – 35.897361, 148.661614

Built in 1931 with timber and corrugated iron cladding, this is a quaint hut overlooking the Nungar Plains. The area was leased by James T Gavel as a summer pasture for 4000 sheep.

 It consists of one room with a fireplace to one end, a rough table and a bed frame. As well as the usual assortment of metal rubbish, there are some cute drawings of the hut done on old corrugated iron and roof shingles. A lean-to on the back is used as a firewood store. There is a good view over the top of the plain and lots of old fencing around it.

Another one that can only be reached on foot, the most scenic option is to follow the bridleway 6 km east from Ware’s Yards, crossing a baldy hill en route from which there are lovely 360° views.

Brayshaws Hut

GPS: – 35.867648

A tiny hut originally built in the 1950’s as a washroom and laundry for the Venables family of Adaminaby, it only measures 2m x 3m. It basically is what it says on the tin: a wooden hut with a tin roof, completely empty inside bar the visitors book. It has the distinction of being the smallest hut in the park.

That’s about it, other than to say it is on the edge of the scenic Nungar plain and there are some great tortured eucalyptus trees on the western approach which are very photogenic, especially at sunset.

There are the remnants of a sheep yard just behind the hut and about a km down the road to the south, the remains of the much larger Crowe’s Yards, though even these are just listing fence posts and rusty wire, with some old scattered tins.

Another 5.5 km on from Schofield’s hut, it is a long walk in from anywhere too and rather off the beaten track, so only the true devotee makes it this far, or the horse riders doing circuits from Ware’s Yards.

Harveys Hut

GPS: – 35.873152

This is a funny little hut nestled inconspicuously under Tantangara Mountain, quite hard to find despite being painted an ox blood red. This version (there having been previous incarnations) dates back to the 1960’s and was actually built as a ski hut – it still sees many Nordic  skiers today, as well as horse riders and the odd walker. It is situated in a high cold area amidst stunted snowgums, though there are nice views along the westwards track. There is no vehicle access though there is a good commercial horse trail from the Rocky Plains campsite.

Made of fibreboard with a tin exterior, it is quite small with a double sleeping platform to one end, a chair and a table. Curiously it also had a wooden sled which makes a good seat if nothing else! There is also a little wood burning stove, and it is quite a cosy hut when that is cranked up.

Tip: Be sure to climb to the top of Tantangara Mountain at 1,752 m for superb views over the park, Lake Eucumbene and beyond. There is even a visitor’s book under the trig point. A 1 km track heads north from beside the hut. 

Delaneys Hut (Burnt 2020) 

GPS:  – 35.909320

Another casualty of the 2003 bushfires, this hut was rebuilt in 2008. The original was built in  1910 for grazing purposes, but now only its stone fireplace remains to one side. It sits directly above the Snowy Mountains Highway south of Kiandra. There is a pull-off off the highway and parking by the hut, as well as a long drop loo.

And smart it is too: all the wood is varnished and it is clean with an assortment of China cups and cutlery. It even has two camp chairs which are in good order and a fireplace in one room. There is an adjacent room which is empty. In a bit of a no-man’s land, it is popular with skiers in the winter.

Kiandra (All Burnt 2020)

This old gold mining area enjoyed a brief boom from 1859 though it was all over within a couple of years. It was the first place in Australia where skiing was practiced and there is a small private resort nearby today.  It sits right on the Snowy Mountains Highway so it is very easy to visit. 

One of the few stone buildings, the old courthouse  has been restored as an historical monument. In 1970 it was in hotel mode and is famous for having hosted Mick Jagger while he was making the Ned Kelly film.

 A trail can be followed around the ground plan of the town which today largely consists of just ground level ruins. There are also three surviving huts, but I have not written of them as they are not generally open for public inspection. However, it is possible to rent Wolgal Hut which was built in 1960 by a group of friends as a fishing lodge.

Tip: Visit the little cemetery on the hill above the town for a good overview of the site. 

Huts to the South of the Highway

Sawyers Rest House (Burnt 2020)

GPS: -35.895824

Destroyed by fire in 2003, a 2008 rebuild has produced this smart wooden hut sitting directly on the Snowy Mountains Highway close to Kiandra. It is a popular stop for picnics and is used by winter skiers and walkers. There is one large room with a large table and stools. Unfortunately the fireplace has been closed up, probably due to the risk of vandalism.

It was originally built between 1910 and 1915 as a rest house and supply store between Adaminaby and Kiandra. Until the 1940’s, the mail was delivered by horse from Cooma. In the winter, this was as far as the horse could get: the mailman then carried on on skis. The hut also served as a refuge in times of bad weather for travellers on the old coach road.

Tip: Take a drive down Four Mile Road which leaves the highway beside the hut. At the time of writing, it is 2WD accessible and leads down to the pretty banks of the Eucumbene river for great fishing and wild camping. 

Broken Dam Hut

GPS: – 35.570999, 148.295566

The original hut of this name burnt down and now only its rusty tin fireplace still stands in the long grass. An axle from a bullock cart was used to hang the billy and it is still there, along with some stone foundations. It is commonly thought that this hut was pulled in from another location.

Now a sparkling 2007 replica stands nearby, with smart shingles under the tin roof. There is the welcome addition of a verandah from which you can enjoy the wide valley below. With smart wooden walls and an interior fireplace, the large one room hut also has a table and two benches. It is particularly popular in the winter with Nordic skiers and is also a possible stop on the AAWT.

Situated 7.5 km south of the Snowy Mountain Highway, it is a fairly steep climb in, passing Four Mile Hill en route with good views from its 1,690 m height. The forest has many skeletal dead trees from forest fires but new growth is well advanced. The broken dam after which it was named dates back to 1880 and is another mining era relic which stretches across the valley below, though you will have to walk down to see it properly.

There is water near the old fence posts south east of the hut.

Happys Hut (Burnt 2020)

GPS: – 36.00423, 148.322176

Wildfires in 2003 came to within a metre of this old hut which dates back to 1931 and has a succession of grazing families in its lifeline. Quick thinking helicopter pilots saved it with water bombing and it has since been well restored, with a wide verandah and a lovely view out over the undulating Happy Jack Plain with its scattered rocky outcrops and narrow inset creeks. It is a stunning remote area with encircling forested hills.

It has the feel of an authentic bush hut with its corrugated body and one roomed living area with a large fireplace. There is even a bunk bed system of sorts but you would have to be pretty brave to use it. It is a popular stop on the AAWT route.

Brooks Hut (Burnt 2020) 

GPS: – 36.01485, 148.311124

Only 2.7 km as the crow flies further south from Happy’s, this hut was burnt down in 2003. A new replacement opened in 2007, a one roomed hut with a fireplace and separate log store. It has a dodgy stone stair to enter but is furnished with 2 stools, a table and a very comfy Malawi chair!

 It enjoys one of the most spectacular locations in the park, with wonderful views over Happy Jacks Plain, yet is one of the least visited. A little bit off route for most AAWT walkers, it sees winter skiers, the occasional horse rider and the odd fishing trip.

Four Mile Hut (Burnt 2020)

GPS: – 35.929781

Four Mile Hut is located about 7 km from Kiandra and is a popular stop on the cross country skiing circuit: it is actually looked after by the NSW Nordic Ski Club, from the nearby Mt Selwyn resort.  The track in leads past some nice old fencing, though the rails have been damaged by fire in places.

This charmingly authentic hut was built by Bob Hughes in 1937, who used planks which were originally destined for shoring up the nearby Elaine Mine; some of these were a little short so the gaps have been meticulously filled in used flattened 5 gallon oil cans. Note the original leather washers used with the nails.

It is the only complete mining hut left on the Kiandra gold fields and there is a stream to the front lined with mullock heaps. Inside it has a cosy wood burning stove and a bed platform. A picture of Bob rests on the mantelpiece which is a nice touch and many people have been grateful over the years for the hut’s protection. However until a 1970’s restoration, they had been living dangerously : a box of live dynamite was found under the bed!

 Tip: Bob managed the nearby Elaine Mine from 1926 to 1936. There are directions to its ruins in the hut. However, be warned that the bush has grown since those times and we gave up the hunt after floundering around in thick scrub for a couple of hours, with only one indignant possum to show for our pains!

Notes

Kosciuszko National Park.  All the above huts are found in the High Plains area of the park, mostly to the north of the Snowy Mountains Highway, with a few just to its south.

BNT: the Bicentennial National Trail. A long distance trail primarily designed for horse riders, running 5,330 km between Healesville in Victoria and Cooktown (100 km north of Cairns) in Queensland.

AAWT: the Australian Alps Walking Track. A long distance trail primarily designed for walkers (there is the occasional cyclist) stretching 659.6 km between Walhalla in Victoria and Tharwa in ACT.

KHA: the Kosciuszko Huts Association. Founded in 1971, these guys do a great job of looking after the huts of Kosciuszko, Namadgi and Brindabella  – there are well over 100 still standing. Join to support them or volunteer to help with hut maintenance.