Haberle's Hut
Photograph courtesy of Margaret Howe © 2003.
Known as Haberles Hut, sometimes Haeberle or Heberle Hut. It is pronounced “hay-ber-lees”.
Located on Parson's Track, Caveside, Great Western Tiers, about 200m before the plateau. Commence in Caveside and take Parsons Road. Follow this to the obvious blue signs to Hills Hut and Haberles Hut. Climb the path across two bridges to Hills Hut then continue on to Haberle’s Hut up “the grunter” steps that form Parsons Track, off the old forestry road.
History
Ted Haberle with his sons Bill and Gordon plus Percy were active snarers in this area and used to access it via the Caveside Track, unused today. Due to the weather at 950m, they decided to build the hut in 1932, and chose a spot less than 200 m below the plateau. At the time, Bill was 21, Gordon 19 and Percy 12 and still at school.
During WWII Bill and Percy joined the army and served, but when they returned home, there was little need for snarers and the hut sank into poor times and was abandoned. Four decades later, Charles Crowden (founder of the Deloraine Walking Club, established 1972) heard of the hut, and sought to find it, with a friend from Caveside, Kelvin Howe.
The first materials were carried to the hut on a “surprise walk” up the Parsons Track on 11 August 1981. Eighteen months later, it was fully restored.
Construction
The hut is very small, about 8 feet by 6 feet. Unlike other snarers hut, it has a stone floor and three-piece bunk at one end, plus a fireplace at the other.
References
Charles Crowden - “The Restoration of Haberle’s Hut” - 2010, 2011