Lake Fenton Huts
Photos courtesy of Keith Moon May 2022.
Known as Lake Fenton Huts or Fenton Hut
This hut is located at the Mount Field road, a few kilometres short of Lake Dobson at Lake Fenton. This hut is about 200 metres off the road, but rarely visited, although often available for skiers in winter. In the 1950’s the road finished at the Lake Fenton Dam and skiers walked from here, or took pack-horses to Mt Mawson and beyond.
History
This is the last remaining hut, of a group that used to be at the end of the Mt Field National Park road, at Lake Fenton.
Around the late 1920's a decision was made to use Lake Fenton as part of the city of Hobart's water supply. The road was constructed as part of that project.
Five accommodation huts were located at Lake Fenton at the time. They were all built by the first official State Park Ranger, Bill Belcher between 1930 and 1932 with the aid of his wife, Emily. He knew the park very well, and cut most of the standard tracks around the Park starting in 1915, then later became the first ranger in 1918.
Retention of these was not considered to be in the interests of drinking water supply so the road was extended from Lake Fenton to Lake Dobson and the huts were re-located to become the current "Government Huts" near Lake Dobson around 1940.
The pack horse trains were disbanded when the road was finished. One hut was left at Lake Fenton as a safety measure. Originally it was the ranger's hut and then later used by walkers and skiers (including myself and friends for multiple ski trips).
Construction
There are three rooms in this hut and a fireplace. The hut has a horizantal weatherboard treatment, but a vertical board facia in front of the veranda.
References
Davies 1986
Michael Wadsley, President Ski Club of Tasmania 2025.
Lake Fenton hut under snow, typical of winter.