Structures & Buildings
This page includes government and private huts, hotels and ski lodges that were built on or close to the Kosciuszko Road. It also includes some huts that were built on the Main Range, originally as shepherds’ huts, but which have been taken over by ski tourers and bushwalkers.
It does not include ski lifts which have their own page here.
Timeline
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Wragge’s Weather Station
Clement Wragge, Queensland government meteorologist, established a weather station on the top of Mt Kosciuszko in 1897. Further reading: Wragge’s Hut by Wendy Cross, PHS Newsletter 14, p.4.
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Old Betts Camp
Old Betts Camp is built by the NSW Government in 1898 on the old Kosciuszko Road which ran along the top of the Crackenback Range. It was the only shelter between Jindabyne and the summit of Mt Kosciuszko.
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New Betts Camp
The NSW Government constructs New Betts Camp in 1907 on the new Kosciuzko Road, approximately 2 km north of Old Betts Camp on the Crackenback Range. Further reading: The Demolition of Betts Camp, Aust. Ski Yr. Bk. 1963, p.31.
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The Creel
The NSW Government builds The Creel, a fishing lodge, at the junction of the old Kosciusko Road and the Thredbo River.
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Shelter Huts
Rawson’s Pass Shelter was one of three built in 1908 by the NSW Government for tourists along the Lakes Walk, the others being Lake Albina (Moraine Pass) and Blue Lake.
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The Hotel Kosciusko
The NSW Government builds the Hotel Kosciusko at Diggers Creek.
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The Hotel Kosciusko is first extended
The NSW Government adds a second wing to the Hotel Kosciusko.
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The Smiggins Hut
The NSW Government builds the Smiggins Hut (The Black Hut) at Smiggin Holes as a rest hut for Hotel Kosciusko guests who were skiing at Smiggin Holes for the day.
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Red Hut
The NSW Government builds Red Hut at Charlotte Pass ca 1920.
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Foreman’s Hut
Foreman’s Hut, a private shepherd’s hut, was built at the junction of the Snowy River and Club Lake Creek in ca 1924.
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The Hotel Kosciusko
The NSW Government adds the staff quarters building (rear in white). The staff quarters building was the only thing left after the fire of 1951 and ultimately became Sponar’s Lakeside Inn.
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The Litchfield family builds new Tin Hut for touring
The Litchfield family were members of the Ski Club of Australia and built this hut on their snow lease for ski touring and to support the crossing from Kiandra to the Hotel Kosciusko by the Schlink party in 1927. Tin Hut is on Finn’s River, on the eastern side and at the foot of Mt...
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Pound’s Creek Hut
The NSW Government builds Pound’s Creek Hut at the junction of Spencer’s Creek and the Snowy River as a hut for ski tourers.
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Farm Ridge Huts
Farm Ridge Huts were built some time in the early twenties, lay on the Kiandra to Kosciuszko traverse and were used in the early days of exploration of the Main Range.
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Seaman’s Hut
The NSW Government builds Seaman’s Hut with a donation of £200 from the parents of Laurie Seaman who, with Evan Hayes, died near the summit of Mt Kosciuszko in 1928.
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Adams Hut
Adams Hut, overlooking Spencer’s Creek and adjacent to Mt Sugarloaf, is built as a shepherd’s hut at about this time. Adams Hut was subsequently renovated into Ibis Hut (shown here) by the NSW Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission in 1947.
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Mawson’s Hut
Mawson’s Hut, near Mt Jagungal, was built by Herb Mawson of Bobundra Station. It also lies on the Kiandra to Kosciuszko traverse and became very popular with the Exclusive Squirrel Club in the 1960s. L-R Fred Porter, Tony Furse, , Maurice Joseph and Bill Kenyon.
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The Chalet
The NSW Government opens the Chalet at Charlotte Pass.
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The Chalet
The NSW Government adds a second wing to the Chalet at Charlotte Pass.
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White’s River Hut
White’s River Hut, next to Mt Gungartan and Mt Dicky Cooper, is built in 1935 by the Clarke family. In 1938 KAC gained an interest in the hut, added an extra room and radio link with the Chalet and used it for winter accommodation and touring for many years. Further reading: White’s River by T.W....
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The first Chalet burns to the ground
The first Chalet burns to the ground on 7 August, 1938. Further reading: The Chalet Fire Charlotte’s Pass by J.E. Biggs et al., Aust and NZ Ski Yr Book 1939, p.2.
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The NSW Government opens the second Chalet
Further reading: The New Chalet, Aust. Ski Yr. Bk., 1939, p.117.
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The NSW Government builds the Smiggins Café at Smiggin Holes
Almost all skiers proceeding from the Hotel Kosciusko to the Chalet (17.2 km) did so on skis as the oversnow transport in existence at the time was unreliable. Skiers could obtain refreshment at Betts Camp (13.6 km from the Hotel) but, in 1939, the NSW Government decided to construct another refreshment café at Smiggin Holes,...
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Alpine Hut
In 1939 Oliver Moriarty formed the Alpine Hut Club which bought freehold land near Brassy Mountain just outside the Kosciuszko National Park and built Alpine Hut for ski touring. Alpine Hut Club had 50 shareholders, the biggest of whom was KAC. Further reading: The Alpine Hut, Brassy Mountain by T. Southwell-Keely, Aust. Ski Yr. Bk.,...
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Grey Hut
The NSW Government builds Grey Hut directly opposite the derelict Red Hut.
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The NSW Government completes Rock Creek Hut
The NSW Government completes Rock Creek Hut and uses it for tourist accommodation.
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Kosciusko Snow Revellers Club opens its temporary hut
Kosciusko Snow Revellers Club opens its temporary hut on 30 December, 1950. This was a works hut but had accommodation and cooking facilities and served as a ski lodge until their main lodge was completed in 1953.
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Ski Tourers Association builds Lake Albina Lodge
Ski Tourers Association completes Lake Albina Lodge at Lake Albina in time for the 1951 ski season. Further reading: Lou Vozab by John Davis, PHS Newsletter 14, p.10.
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Department of Main Roads Snow Clearing Depot
The former DMR Snow clearing depot at Wilson’s Valley was built by Jack Piazza in 1951 and is now occupied by the NSW Dept of Public Works. In the huge snow year of 1964, oversnow vehicles to Perisher Valley and beyond loaded up with passengers at this point.
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The Hotel Kosciusko burns to the ground
On 18 April, 1951 the Hotel Kosciusko burns to the ground. The fire, which began in the kitchen, took one hour to completely destroy the Hotel. View the video filmed by Dr Harvey Dakin, a Cooma GP. Further reading: The Hotel Kosciusko Fire by G. Petersen, Aust Ski Yr Bk, 1952, p.45.
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Cootapatamba Hut
The Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority (SMHEA) builds Cootapatamba Hut at Lake Cootapatamba..
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The Store Hut at Smiggin Holes
The Store Hut at Smiggin Holes was the first on-snow accommodation for Brindabella and Tate Ski Clubs.
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Kosciusko Snow Revellers Club opens their main lodge
Kosciusko Snow Revellers Club opens their main lodge for the October long weekend.
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Selmer Engineering completes Guthega Dam and Power Station
Selmer Engineering completes Guthega Dam and Power Station and removes its construction camp with the exception of three huts which become the beginning of the modern Guthega Resort.
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The new Kosciusko Roadside Bar
This was built at the burnt-out Hotel Kosciusko to replace ‘the crudest drink shanty in the state’.
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Sverre Kaaten’s syndicate builds the Big Tow and Tow Hut in Perisher Valley
Sverre Kaaten’s syndicate builds the Big Tow and Tow Hut in Perisher Valley. This was the first permanent ski tow in Perisher Valley and the Tow Hut was the first commercial (non-ski club) accommodation in the Kosciuszko area.
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Kunama Huette destroyed by avalanche
Kunama Huette is destroyed by avalanche on 12 July, 1956. Further reading: Notes on the Kunama Avalanche by G.R.T. Ward, Aust. Ski Yr Bk. 1957, p.58.
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The Northcote Ski Tow Hut burns down
The Northcote Ski Tow Hut burns down on 2 August, 1956.
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Bob Strizek builds Beaver Lodge
Bob Strizek builds Beaver Lodge for the Sverre Kaaten syndicate.
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Perisher Valley Enterprises converts Beaver Lodge into the Alpine Gate Hotel
Perisher Valley Enterprises converts Beaver Lodge into the Alpine Gate Hotel and installs the first ski tow (a Poma lift) in the Smiggins Bowl.
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Ken Murray builds the Man From Snowy River Hotel and No 2 T-bar
Further reading: The Man from Snowy River Hotel 50th Anniversary, PHS Newsletter, p.4.
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Cresta Lodge is the first ski club lodge built in Smiggin Holes
Cresta Lodge, the first ski club lodge built in Smiggin Holes, burnt down in 1964 and was replaced by the Chalet Apartments.
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Walter Spanring builds his own hut at the foot of the beginners tow
Walter Spanring builds his own hut at the foot of the beginners tow at Guthega, leases both ski tows and continues to instruct.
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Fritz and Margot Feiersinger open Marritz Alpine Inn
Further reading: Lunch with Perisher Pioneers, PHS Newsletter 10, p.4.
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Illawarra Alpine Club
Further reading: Illawarra Alpine Club 50th Anniversary Book, PHS Newsletter 11, p.7.
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The Ramshead Restaurant of the World’s Longest Chairlift
The Ramshead Restaurant, on the top of the Ramshead (or Crackenback) Range, housed the bull wheels of the two chairlifts which made up the’World’s Longest Chairlift’.
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Sawpit Creek
Sawpit Creek was originally a place where timber was cut for the surrounding district. When construction commenced on the new Kosciuszko Road in 1906, there was a continuing need for gravel to surface the road. Thus Sawpit Creek began its second life as quarry. Neville Gare, first Kosciusko State Part Superintendent, believed that the Sawpit...
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The Cell Block
The Cell Block, now staff quarters, was formerly the bottom station, (Charlotte Pass end) of the ‘world’s longest chairlift’.
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The All-denominational church opens
Keith Line’s memoir contains a comprehensive and entertaining account of the building of the church and can be found here.
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The Sverre Kaaten Nordic Centre opens
The Sverre Kaaten Nordic Centre opens to become the centre of nordic skiing in NSW.
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Spencer’s Creek and Tar-Gan-Gil Ski Clubs and Alitji Lodge (commercial) open
Spencer’s Creek (pictured) and Tar-Gan-Gil Ski Clubs and Alitji Lodge (commercial) open.
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The new Guthega syndicate builds the Nordic Ski Centre
The new Guthega syndicate builds the Nordic Ski Centre, a new chairlift from the carpark to the Blue Calf saddle and replaces the old Blue Cow T-bar.
Articles about Structures & Buildings
Below, we've collected articles about the various buildings and structures of interest.
Construction of the Catholic Church
A series of postcards showing the Catholic Church under construction in the early 1960’s. Donated by Col Bruton (Illawarra Alpine Club)
Sundeck Fire, 1960
On the 30th January, 1960, the Sundeck burnt to the ground. The Sydney Morning Herald reports the tragedy.
Kangaroo Chalet Fire, 1970
On 29 June, 1970 a fire took hold of the Kangaroo Chalet at Perisher, completely destroying the building.
Alpine Gate
Alpine Gate Hotel Smiggin Holes 1962. This is when you could park at Smiggin Holes overnight.
Sundeck Hotel
Perisher’s First Hotel and Australia’s Highest The 50th birthday of the Sundeck Hotel was celebrated in fine style with a dinner on Saturday 27 June 2009 hosted by owner/manager Cliff Wallis. The Sundeck Hotel was Perisher’s first hotel and was a pioneer for commercial accommodation in an area dominated by an increasing number of club…
Ski Clubs, Commercial Lodges, Hotels
Background Since the beginnings of skiing in Australia the activity has been undertaken by like minded people as a social and recreational activity. As time progressed, these groups formed themselves into clubs. At first these were clubs did not have ski lodges or huts but either visited the snow areas as social groups to stay…