Pugilistic Hut
Photo courtesy of John Mitchell, Corryong. Taken by his mother Elynne Mitchell who was Australian Skiing Champion and a famour Author of the Silver Brumby Books. Copyright.
Known as Pugilistic Hut or Pugilistic Creek Hut
Located on Pretty Plain, East of the Dargal Range and about a kilometre from the Pretty Plain hut.
Brief History
The hut was built in 1947 by a Mr Whitehead.
The hut was given the name "Pugilistic" following and altercation between two stockmen, one of whom was deliberately fueled up on alcohol, so he would lose the fight (over ownership of some cattle). The families involved, continue to dispute the event!
We hold photographs of the hut from Tom Mitchell's first (ever) vehicular crossing of the Snowies, showing it with vertical slabs in the walls and a hessian bag for the door. The slabs have since fallen out. The NPWS views this hut as a "standing ruin" and not to be restored despite its obvious historical context.
Construction
The hut measures about 3m by 4m and was built around four very substantial poles with vertical slab walls. The floor was of dirt and the fireplace of stone.
Originally the roof and gables were made of bark, but the former was replaced with corrugated iron. Noneheless, a welcome shelter in pouring rain!
References
The KHA reference number is 2311
KNP POM schedule is L.106.
No conservation study exists.