Hut ruin - KNP.

[kanangra]

On my Christmas walk down in KNP last year I came across a ruin not marked on my map. It is located just to the south of the Snowy Mts. Hwy. near Connors Hill. I had spent the night in Broken Dam Hut up near Tabletop Mt. and from there had descended the 4 Mile FT. I arrived at the Eucumbene River just in time for breakfast. (A beautiful spot by the way.) Anyway after breakfast I walked up the fire trail to the top of the first hill and then cut across country, crossing Rocky Plain Creek. I then turned due east up a side creek which I followed to the head of the valley. As I emerged out onto the upper basin I crossed over to the true right of the creek and just up a bit on the side of the hill were the unmistakable signs of an old hut. Nothing much left of it now. Just some old rusting iron. I checked my map ( Denison 1:25,000 2nd. ed.) and it didn't show anything.

I didn't think much more of it at the time and continued on my way. ( I picked up and followed the power lines to the Hwy. then down the road to Alpine Ck FT which I followed to Boggy Plain and thence to Wares Yards.) but recently I just happened to be looking at my first edition of the Denison sheet (last revised 1990). and sure enough it showed a ruin right at the spot: MR 407:203. I then checked Charles Warner's book "Bushwalking in KNP" 1st ed. 1983 and sure enough he has it marked as a ruin, no. 201. I then consulted the index and it was the first on his list, Alpine Hut. He gave the reference as Den. 406:203 so it must be the same one.

That is all I have been able to find out. Anyone know any more. I guess the Kos. Huts people would?

K.

[north-north-west]

I know nussink - but I also stumbled over this thing six or seven years back, and would be interested if you do find out its history.

[climberman]

Hi kanangra,

Klaus Hueneke's wonderful book "Huts of the High Country" has a section on Alpine Hut.

Built 1939. Was a club hut. Linked by radio to The Chalet.

Visitors have included Sir Garfield Barwick, Elyne Mitchell, Jim Pattinson, Don Richardson.

Popularity declined after 1950 and there was no longer a cook/manager over winter, and the Co. dissolved in 1968.

It was burnt in the 1979 bushfire. Nice picture at page 129.

[kjbeath]

There is an error in the original post, it should be Alpine Hut No 2. Alpine Hut was in a different place, down near Big Brassy.

[kanangra]

Yes I was going to say I din't think it was The Alpine Hut. I think there was more than one.

K

[climberman]

Well now you've got me !

[north-north-west]

Thinking back, this has to be same hut ruin I found, but that would have been more like ten years ago - definitely pre-digital, anyway. And there was still a dunny standing (more or less), which was very useful at the time.