Kellys Hut (at Marum Point)
Photo courtesy of Alan Levy © 2001.
Known as Kelly Hut, Kellys at Marum Point, Rocky Valley SEC Commission Survey Hut. (NOT at Marms Point or Marums Point!). Also do not confuse with the other Kelly Hut.
Located at Kellys Track near Marum Point and the head of Wildhorse Creek, at about 1700 m.
From Falls Creek drive along the sealed Bogong High Plains Road around Rocky Valley Lake to Big River Fire Track, about 1.6 km beyond the dam wall. Park before the management gate.
Walk along Big River Fire Track, turn onto Marum Point Track and then Kellys Track, following signs to Kelly Hut. Regional visitor guidance gives roughly 10 km return for the Kelly/Fitzgerald hut walk; Fitzgeralds Hut is about 700 m away.
Brief History
The first hut on the site was built by Kyran Marum and Jack Platt in 1901.
Patrick J Kelly built the second hut on this site in 1901, after grazing began on the lease in the 1890s. This hut has vertical slab walls, a paling roof and gabled structure, but was burnt down in 1956.
It was replaced with an SEC hut (originally built in 1928? - historical if it is), removed from the Rocky Valley site two years later. The Kelly family, through Mrs T Kelly and later her son, owned the lease until taken over by the NP in 1982.
Construction
A typical pre-fab SEC hut, with considerable modifications. The walls are 140mm shiplapped weatherboards over a hardwood frame. There are three sections to the hut.
The roof is corrugated iron and the floor of T&G hardwood. There is internal lining, mostly of caneite. The iron chimney has recently been restored.
Caretakers - Roper and Maddison families.
References
Hueneke Pp 167, 178, 239.
G. Butler 1996 Pp160-163.
Magnussen Pp120 - 121
Stephenson 247, 248, 270, 272, 276, 278, 284.
Mapping Guidance;
GPS: approximately 36.874027°S, 147.371521°E.
UTM Zone 55H: 533111 m E, 5919038 m N (WGS84 assumed). Existing profile coordinate retained; within about 10 m of the VHCHA map pin.