The Troedel Shelter
Photos courtesy of M Statham.
Known as Troedel Shelter or The Melaleuca Airstrip Hut.
Located beside the airstrip at Melaleuca and known as the Bathurst Harbour Landing Ground, Southwest National Park.
History
This hut was built by Parks and Wildlife Service as a shelter for bushwalkers’ and kayakers’ supply drops. It is also used by Par Avion to store equipment, and for communications and webcam infrastructure.
Bushwalkers wait for flights in the shelter of the building’s annexe.
David Troedel was an independent walker often covering considerable distances on his own. He went missing in 1972 to the west of Precipitous Bluff in quite a small area, but with very real challenges from Horizontal Scrub. A “cold case” review by police in 2003 did not find anything new. The hut was built on the request of David’s parents, as an appropriate memorial to their son.
It now includes an automatic weather station installed by Par Avion.
Construction
Vertical board cladding, Colorbond pitched roof, hardboard and pine lining, timber floor. The annexe has a gravel floor.
Caretakers Parks and Wildlife Service of Tasmania.
References
Janet Fenton - Pers comm.