The Linesmans No 3 Huts in Kosciuszko National Park. Photo: Toms Outdoors Instagram.
A major bushfire recovery project in the NSW alpine region has reached a symbolic conclusion with the completion of Round Mountain Hut, the final of 10 historic high-country huts rebuilt after the 2019–20 Black Summer fires tore through Kosciuszko National Park (KNP).
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), in partnership with the Kosciuszko Huts Association (KHA), community volunteers and descendants of original builders, have spent more than four years painstakingly restoring these huts – each one a link to a different chapter of the Snowy Mountains’ history.
The 60 heritage huts in the park were built primarily from the 1870s to the 1990s, by a range of people including cattlemen, prospectors and Snowy Mountains Scheme workers.
Aside from providing educational and cultural insights into the Snowy Mountains’ history, these living reminders of its layered past support recreational activities such as hiking and skiing and have served as vital emergency shelters for visitors to KNP.
Despite ongoing threats from bushfires, weather and natural decay over the decades, none exemplifies the spirit of endurance better than Round Mountain Hut, which enjoys sweeping views of the Tumut River headwaters and the towering Mount Jagungal.
Dating back to the early 1930s, the small corrugated iron structure was believed to have been first built by stockmen who used the high country for summer grazing.
With a 7 x 4.2 metre footprint, it featured a fireplace, a bench for food preparation, rustic bunk beds and a nearby toilet.
After a fire in the 1940s, Round Mountain Hut was rebuilt in 1953 and became a well-known stop for bushwalkers and cross-country skiers heading into the remote Jagungal Wilderness.
Destroyed again during the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires, the newly rebuilt structure was completed earlier this year, faithfully replicating the original with its characteristic chimney, complete with a snow hatch.
The restoration of the Linesman No 3 Huts – used by workers maintaining Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme infrastructure – was one of the most logistically complex tasks.
Originally built in the 1950s and 1980s along Fifteen Mile Ridge, the huts served as simple shelters for linesmen monitoring high-voltage transmission lines in remote alpine conditions.
Rebuilding them required innovation.
The frames were designed and prefabricated in Tumut by local builders Roger Rosenboom and Peter Dow, then mounted on custom skids and airlifted to their original locations.
Each hut, weighing under 900 kilograms, was flown in by helicopter where volunteers, including bushwalking groups, completed painting and interior fit-outs.
They now offer insulated, stove-equipped shelters that remain true to the original aesthetic and function as historic exhibits and emergency havens.
Funding for the overall rebuilding program included a $300,000 contribution from Snowy Hydro, part of an enforceable undertaking following an environmental incident in the park.
The list of rebuilt huts includes Sawyers Resthouse from the early 1900s; Delanys Hut, built in 1910; Vickerys Hut from 1938–39; Bradley and O’Brien’s Hut, constructed in 1952; Brooks Hut, dating back to 1943; Four Mile Hut from 1937 and Happys Hut, built in 1931.
Harveys Hut, believed to have been built in the 1960s, was repaired rather than fully rebuilt.
But it was community contribution through time, skills, and local knowledge that made the project successful.
NPWS Project Officer Megan Bowden described the restorations as a landmark achievement.
“The Kosciuszko huts are ‘living museums’, representing the rich history of the park and the many people who lived and used them,” she said. “Countless hours have gone into meticulously rebuilding these huts, with photos and records being studied to ensure they are accurately honouring these historic monuments.
“It is incredible to know that many of these huts have been used for several generations, and thanks to the commitment of those involved, they will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come,” Ms Bowden said.
KHA President Pip Brown said the effort had also preserved critical bush carpentry skills.
“The rebuilding program has also trained agency staff and volunteers in traditional construction techniques to enable continuation of heritage building skills, such as splitting slabs with a maul and froe and log cabin construction to help keep these skills alive and maintain these huts for future generations,” she said.
Many families with ties to the original hut builders participated in openings and working bees, reinforcing a deep social and historical connection to the alpine region.
Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Penny Sharpe, praised the collaboration.
“It was wonderful to see Four Mile Hut brought back to life by so many committed volunteers and National Parks staff, just metres from the charred remains of the original structure,” she said.
“They are not just important places for emergency shelter, but also gems of the high country which have contributed to the rich heritage of NSW,” the minister said.
With all 10 huts now rebuilt or repaired, NPWS and KHA are turning their attention to ongoing maintenance and encouraging responsible visitation.
For those wishing to experience these heritage sites firsthand, huts like Round Mountain and the Linesman Huts are accessible via walking trails through the park.
More information is available via the Kosciuszko Huts Association website.
Original Article published by Edwina Mason on About Regional.
