Hut removal Kosciuszko NP border

[Lophophaps]

There used to be lodges on private property just east of the KNP border near Cesjacks. One was burnt down, Nordheim, about 1976. My understanding is that one or more of the rest were removed by KNP due to being visible from Jagungal and other high points. Can anyone conform or deny this, and give an approximate date for any KNP mandated removal? TIA.

[kanangra]

I can confirm that you are correct. They were built on private property which was then resumed and the huts demolished. Part of an idealogical purge by the NPWS. There is a book in the Mitchell library written by the owner all about it. "Edge of the Wilderness." Very little trace remains now. Their location is shown on old editions of the Jagungal sketch map. Bogong Lodge was the main one. There was another one as well.

K

[WarrenH]

Crooks Hut on the Snowy Plains at the Northern end of the Gungahlin River Valley, just south of Crooks Racecourse, has gone. Only a pile of fire place stones remain. Could this be the hut?

From Cesjacks, remaining huts outside the park boundary on the Snowy Plains, are Flanagans Hut the closest to Cesjacks just a couple of klicks S'east, near Bulls Peak Creek in the Gungahlin River Valley. Wheatleys Hut more commonly known as Amos Hut and Yellow Hut are along Bulls Peak Creek. N'east of Cesjacks again outside the park, on the Snowy Plains in the Gungahlin Valley is Kellys Hut, which is about 6 klicks from Cesjacks.

You might find this KHA article interesting, particularly the bit about the razing of huts by park staff ... http://www.khuts.org/index.php/heritage ... ntain-huts

Warren.

[DaveNoble]

Once (1980's?) when ski touring out that way, not too far away from Cesjacks, and a bit to the east, we followed some fresh ski tracks down to a nice hut. We talked to the owner - a XC skier called Gordon Broom (as far as I can recall). I think he was quite anti NPWS. The hut was in the forest, so perhaps it burnt down in bushfires?

[RVG]

The huts near Cesjacks were Nordheim, Katingal, Jaanga and Bogong. (I'm not sure about it but one of them might have had two names.)

Greg Hutchison recorded the remnants of some of those close to Cesjacks about 3 years ago. Those positions and Jaanga's approximate position are listed in "Exploring the Jagungal Wilderness". Jaanga was so thoroughly cleaned up that the only remnant that can be found today is a little bit of polypipe.

The closest lodge to Cesjacks today is Snowy Vale which is still very active. It is on private property just over the ridge from Cesjacks.

The location of Crooks Hut is not widely known. It was found by John Williams of Corryong in 2012. Being on private property its position was not stated in the book. Crooks Hut is named after the "Crook" of Crooks Racecourse. Crook was a lethargic stockman, who once spurred his horse into a gallop. Hence the name "Crooks Racecourse".

[WarrenH]

Rowes Hut shows on the Jagungal Sketch Map as a ruin. Rowes was located in the Gungarlin Valley just East of Bulls Peak Creek.

I finally spelt Gungarlin correctly.

Warren.

[tom_brennan]

Once (1980's?) when ski touring out that way, not too far away from Cesjacks, and a bit to the east, we followed some fresh ski tracks down to a nice hut. We talked to the owner - a XC skier called Gordon Broom (as far as I can recall). I think he was quite anti NPWS. The hut was in the forest, so perhaps it burnt down in bushfires?

Probably Gordon Broome, an SBW member from the '70s. From "The first sixty years"

The establishment of man made constructions in bush areas has certainly exercised the Club's attention from time to time. Sometimes it has extended to such special subjects as the huts in the Snowy Mountains and Kosciusko National Park. The restoration by some Club members led by Gordon Broome, of Moulds Hut near Spencer's Peak, did not meet with universal aesthetic approval. Its destruction by fire by those who did not approve (not, incidentally, Club members) was a sad reflection on the misguided passions of some extremists. Overall, however, saner and happier counsels seem to have prevailed and most of the historic huts have been allowed to remain. The list of conservation battles during the decade in which Sydney Bushies have joined either as a Club or as individuals have been many and, of course, have extended to both Tasmania and Queensland

and from https://khuts.org/index.php/the-huts/ko ... moulds-hut - which may explain his issues with NPWS...

Also known as Spencers Peak Hut

Brief History

Moulds was built by RG Mould in 1930. Moulds was one of two huts deliberately destroyed by fire, by NPWS officers in 1977, after a mis-interpretation of the policy at the time. A request to be allowed to re-build the hut, was denied by the NPWS in 1978.

[cesjacks]

[cesjacks]

Bogong Lodge and Huts on Cesjacks Ridge.
from Bryan Haig

The start
Contract signed for purchase by Bryan Haig of land from Ron Flanagan, comprising 387.7 hectares held under conditional perpetual lease being block 36 in Parish of Gungarlin, County of Wallace 1975

Objects
1 To construct a dwelling on the land as Bryan Haig's home and as a selter for ski tourers and bushwalkers in the area and the adjoining area of the Jagungal Wilderness. As the Alpine Club stated in a report on SURVIVAL AND MAINTAINANCE OF THE MOUNTAIN HUTS, "Bryan Haig, a keen cross-country skier and a past president of the ACT Ski Council, ... lived on the property for much of the year and hosted other keen ski tourers in his home, which was called Bogong Lodge"
2 To develop the area as a centre for ski touring and bushwalking, enabling clubs to construct shelter huts on land outside the KNP as an alternative to huts in developed areas of the KNP. Central cocerns were there would be no commercial development and no access by vehicles in winter.

Resumption and compensation
Ron Flanagan notified that the NPWS had objected
to the transfer of the land 1977
Objection removed following court action and
purchase completed 1984
Land resumed by NPWS 11 January 1985
Compensation assessed by Court on the land and Bogong Lodge October 1988
Compensation paid January 1989

Huts on the land
Nordheim Hut
built by Bryan Haig (for himself) with help from Kore Grunnsund and Greg Burnet 1975-76
destroyed by fire February 1979
Bogong Lodge
built by Renzo Dalmaso (for Bryan Haig) with help from CAC bushwalkers including Keith Storey and Stan Goodhew 1978-79
demolished, but for no environmental reason 1987
Katingal
built by Steve, a builder from Sydney (for Kore Grunnsund) 1978
removed by Grunnsund to avoid a demolition order 1979
Jaanga Hut
built by a group of Sydney bushwalkers (for themselves) before 1975
demolished and materials removed by Grunnsund 1987