Photos courtesy of Margaret Howe, taken in 2020.

Known as Hydro Hut or Hydro Camp, but also as the Sir John Falls Hut (after nearby falls) or HEC Lower Gordon Camp at Warner’s Landing. Originally it was Jones Landing in the late 1800’s.

Located at the far SW end of Macquarie Harbour, and well up the Gordon River almost to the junction with the famous Franklin River. The GPS position is listed below. Commercial tourist tours visit here.

History

This site has been used since 1880 when it was known as Jones Landing. It is reguarly visited by tour cruises, as one of the original piner’s camps on the Gordon River. The present hut was built by the Hydro Electric Commission in about 1972 but by 1984 it was managed by the Tasman Parks and Wildlife Service.

The visitor numbers have increased steadily since the original Plan of Management was written in 1992 and the erosion of the banks of the Gordon River is now causing concern. The “Lower Gordon River Recreational Zone Plan 1998” document can be seen on the Tas Parks site here.

The Lower Gordon Camp, which previously provided single quarters for approximately 20 HEC employees, had become structurally unstable in part and generally run down in recent years.

Major works are currently being undertaken and most of the superfluous single quarters accommodation have been demolished. In 2021 it was substantially renovated, after it declined considerably up to 2012.

The hut was named after the neraby Sir John Falls, afer Sir John Dodds the Chief Justice of Tasmania, who lived from 1848 to 1914.

Construction

In 2016 David Clarke an ex-ranger approached the PWS Heritage Branch and together with Peter Rigozzi, the Heritage Officer, formed a plan to repair the hut with community resources. Friends of the Franklin River Wildcare Group commenced work on the timber building in March 2020 and completed the work in April 2023.

Location by GPS - S 42.569903 E 145.689749