Grey Mare Hut
And The Grey Mare Hut Murals
Photograph courtesy of Mr Peter Sundstrom © 2001
Location is above Guthega power station, at the top of the Munyang Corridor on the Grey Mare Fire Trail and at Grid Reference 202915 on the Khancoban 1:50,000 map.
Brief History
Grey Mare Hut is the third in this location. The original hut was built in 1934, for mining, and some of the mining hardware is substantial and remains evident. It is worth a visit, just up the hill from the hut.
The original hut materials were re-used to build the current hut in 1949, by Jack and Jim Bolton. The hut has since been improved for use by skiers, and is very popular for that purpose.
The hut is also famous for its murals of nudes drawn by Rufus Morris (now fading) between 1954 and 1955. They were still very visible in the 1970’s.
Grey Mare is unique for its co-location with some very interesting mining equipment, and its fantastic position for cross-country skiing.
Construction
Grey mare is 7m by 3.5m approximately. The walls and roof are made of corrugated iron and the floor is timber.
The tongue and groove timber lining was added in 1960. The chimney is made of granite and cement. There is one window and a toilet adjacent.
Value
Grey Mare is considered to be one of the key survival shelters in the KNP.
Caretakers - Brindabella Ski Club
References
Hueneke Pp 60, 69-71, 154
KHA reference number is 2312 and the
KNP POM is L.22.
A conservation study and
history notes are available for this hut.
GPS: S 36.211975 E 148.338250
History - Further Notes from the family
...a letter to KHA from Ian Ritchie...
I chanced on your website tonight for the first time, and welcome the information you are gathering together on the huts.
I'm currently having restored some Rufus Morris originals of Mawsons Hut, Jagungal, and Mt Twynum dated "1951" and "December 1952". My father, Arthur Ritchie, and his friend, Selby Alley, (founders of the Newcastle Tech College Bushwalking Club) took Rufus (who lived over the road from Dad's childhood home in Concord West) down to Kosciuszko during those years specifically for Rufus to complete some water-colours of the region. I have contemporaneous photos of the party carrying the heavy and bulky art supplies and backpacks into the park, and standing around Mawsons Hut.
I believe the Grey Mare drawings were made on one of these two visits to the park, probably December 1952. My father told me that they were snowed-in at Grey Mare and on the third day of blizzard the comment was made, "snowed in and no women for company!" At that comment, Rufus took some charcoal from the fire and drew the nudes and the ghost of the Grey Mare. Dad mentioned that he requested Rufus to draw Dad's nude on the ceiling over Dad's bunk.
The party then made its way to Dickey Cooper Hut, during which journey, Rufus became unwell and could no longer carry his pack. My father carried both packs for a while, one on his back and one in front. When the effort became too great, Dad would leave one of the packs on the fence line that they had encountered, walk a kilometre or so, then return for the second pack, and so forth, thereby tripling his walking distance.
The party got to Dickey Coopers suffering from hypothermia, and took to the bunks. It was only the superhuman effort of Selby and Dad to encourage each other to make a fire that saved them. I was last in the Grey Mare Hut in the late seventies and noted a log book reference to some visitors who had taken offence at the murals and who had attempted to removed them. I'm glad to hear they are still there, if faded. Thanks once again for your web site, and I hope this little bit of information helps.
Yours sincerely Ian Ritchie
7 October 2004.