Kells Hut
Photography by Olaf Moon 2002.
Known as Kells Hut or Kells and Venables.
Location
Kells is a delightful hut, located at Emu Flat, off the Goobarragandarra Valley, in the far north of the KNP. Grid Reference 367789. It can be accessed either from the Tumut side, or off the Brindabella Road, and down Barnetts Road and then Boundary Road. The walk or drive to the hut is down a very steep hill, and requires a good 4WD vehicle or strong knees!
Brief History
This hut was built by Wally Kells and Jack Venables in 1943. It was used all year round by the Kells.
The Emu Flat area had seen a number of previous huts, usually built for mining, rather than grazing, as this hut was. Those huts are no longer visible, but the wide range of fruit trees in the valley indicate possible locations.
The National Park Service resumed the area in 1973.
Construction
The hut is about 4m square, and is notable for both horizantal and vertical slabs, currently with breezy gaps between them. There is a wooden floor in good condition, and the chimney is iron above a footing of stones.
There is a single window.
The hut received considerable renovation in the late 1990's, and currently contains some useful furniture.
References
KHA number 0303,
KNP POM L.2.
A History Brief and
Conservation Study exist for this hut.
GPS: S 35.422040 E 148.506784