Kara Hut
Photographs courtesy of Keith & Olaf Moon.
Known as Kara Cabin or Kara Hut. Previously known as Keats Hut or the Stone Hut.
Located on on the slopes of Mt Wellington, behind Hobart, and below the summit road. Park on the summit road at the “Climbers Park” below the Chalet and search for the path down. You can search for the GPS position online or email me to olafmoonATgmailDOTcom if you are a genuine “hut-nut”.
Brief History
Kara was originally built by Frank Keats in 1923 on Cascade Brewery land. He called it the Stone Hut. In 1952, new custodians restored it considerably, but it was badly burnt in the 1967 bushfires, where just the stone shell and chimney remained.
Soon after, it was rebuilt with Council permission.
This hut is very special, as you will find on your visit. It is well protected by the Wellington Park Trust, who mean well, but dont actually want people to visit. Their reports including the heritage study hide its location. Notwithstanding that, it is genuinely open to any interested visitor so if you are keen, please do take the oppotunity. It is also a very resilient hut against damage and wildfires, but of course this protection is not absolute.
Thirty metres to the SE is the remains of another hut, revealing just the chimney base and some iron.
Construction
This is a very solid stone hut with chimney. It has a wooden floor and iron roof plut a fire place and three bunks inside.
References:
McConnell, A & Scripps L ;Wellington Heritage Inventory 2005.
Abrahams J: “Wellington Park Mountain Huts Inventory” 2001.
