Bivouac Hut
Photograph courtesy of Fiona Magnussen © 2003.
Known as Bivouac Hut or Staircase Hut.
Located on the Staircase Spur Walking Track, Staircase Spur Mt Bogong. One the Bogong High Plains map at GR262366. The 1:25,000 map is T8324-1-3 location at AMG Zone 55: 526250, 5936600.
GPS Location:
History
This is the third hut at on Grazing Block 25, and was about 200m downhill from the second. This block was first held by HB Duane about 1900, followed by the Howmans of Eskdale plus JK Kelly. Later L Prichard had it through the 1930s, but disputed the boundary with Maddison, who took over the block in 1934 with Neilson.
Prichard and Hodgkin won it back the next year, but the Soil Conservation Board took it over in the 1940's after which the Bogong High Plains Advisory Committee recommended all leases be cancelled in the area in 1946.
The Ski Club of Victoria (SCV) applied in 1934 to build a hut, which was completed in March 1935. The hut was destroyed in the 1939 fires and re-erected in March 1939. By then the SCV had also erected Summit Hut and Cleve Cole Hut, both in 1938. This second (third on site) was burnt down deliberately in 1978, along with Summit and Maddisons, similar to Moulds and others in Kosciuszko.
The Parks service replaced this hut in 1980-81. The new hut is reputed to be airtight, creating a sauna effect when the fire is lit.
Construction
The third and current hut is a horizantal paling clad gabled building. The boards appear to be shiplapped Tasmanian Oak (E. Regnans). A pot belly stove sits on a fibrous cement floor.
Caretakers - none known.
Heritage Value: Below threshold.
References
Hueneke Pp166, 231
Butler Report II - Pp 59-63
Butler Pp 11 - 15
Magnussen Pp 88 - 89
Siseman (1978) Pp 54 B2
Stephenson (1980) P211, 212, 215-19, 233, 277.
Stephenson (1982) - Cleve Cole
National Parks Service Bogong National Park Proposed Interim Management Plan (1983).
Huts of the Bogong National Park - Tatnall (1988)
Cattlemen of the High Country T Holth.