Old Pelion
Known as Pelion Hut or Old Pelion Hut
Location - Old Pelion hut is almost in the centre of the Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park in Tasmania. This picture for the intro was taken in 1971 by Olaf Moon (using a Kodak cartridge camera and positives or slides), and this one in 2014, and the hut remains exactly as then, except the fireplace has been removed, to avoid the hut being burnt down. It used to be the only option for walkers, other than a tent in the 1970’s.
Brief History
Old Pelion Hut is one of the oldest constructions in the park, having been built in 1895, to house the Mine Manager for the initial explorations of the Mole Creek and Zeehan Mineral Prospecting and Exploration Company. Diggings are still very evident nearby, and revealed vast quantities of low grade ore, but little of profit.
Following closure of the mine, the hut was used by cattlemen including Charlie Cox and John Day in the 1920s, and later by snarers.
In 1936 a snarer called Lionell Connell renovated the hut. Lionell later became the local ranger. The hut was renovated again in the 1960s. In the 1980s, the fireplace was removed to stop the hut being inadvertantly burnt down.
New Pelion stands about two kilometres away, and has been especially built to handle sustained usage. It was replaced by an even newer and much larger hut in 2001.
Construction
Of native pine, brought from the forest under Mt Oakleigh.
References;
Jim Moon, personal comm.