Basil Steers Hut
Photograph courtesy of Margaret Howe and J Robertson © 1998.
Known as Basil Steers Hut or Basil Steers #1 Hut
Located at February Plains, between Walls of Jerusalem National Park and embedded in the Cradle Mountain NP east environs. Head south from Liena or Mole Creek towards the Arm Forest Reserve. From the Mersey Forest Road, take the Bare Hill Road to Borradaille Plains then head south to the Basil Steers car park. The first hut is a short walk south, and the second a little further on to the SW.
History
This hut was built by Basil Steers as a snaring hut. Snaring for possums was very popular and for a few years, very lucrative, using a piano wire slip-loop, hooked onto a sloping log against a tree. The possum followed the log, eating pieces of apple, stuck under the bark and used as bait, until it caught through the wire loop.
After snaring was banned, the hut was used for recreation by local farmers.
Construction
Vertical timber slabs, with iron gable roof and skillion roof over the verandah.
Caretakers - Local graziers.
References
Cubit, Simon “Mountain Men - Stories from the Tasmanian High Country” 2015.
The GPS Location is available on Mapcarta.com