Lees Hut
Photograph courtesy of M Howe and J Robertson © 2003
Known as Lees Hut or Lees Paddocks Hut. Note that Lewis Lees Hut is just nearby also, and that the Reg Wadley Memorial Hut is 2.1km to the south.
Located at Lees Paddocks (a private lease), East of Pelion Plains and at the other end of the Paddock from the Reg Wadley Memorial Hut. Take the road to Mole Creek then onto Mersey Forest. Follow the Mersey Forest Road south, and then drive down west of Lake Rowallan Powerstation, then take the West Rowallan Track which turns into the Lees Paddock Track. Lees Paddock and the hut are on the south side. If you take the Mersey Forest Rd on the East side of the lake, it stops at a carpark where the walk-in is a few kilometres only.
History
George Lee first saw the potential for grazing cattle in the area from the 1800s and, with his four sons, Oliver, Basil, Oxley and Lewis, made regular trips to The Paddocks with cattle for summer grazing.
The four brothers took up snaring through the 1960’s and Oxley was still grazing cattle into the 1980’s. In 1954 a fire burnt the skin shed down and it was rebuilt in 1972. The roof was updated in 1974.
Note that this hut is on private land.
Construction
The verandah and new skin shed, plus the updated floor were added in the 1974 restoration.
GPS Location taken from Google Maps: S 41.83659 E 146.11776.