NSW Nordic Ski Club
Four Mile Hut - Major Maintenance Trip 29 - 31 March 1996 - Report
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INTRO
We have just completed the 1996 major maintenance trip to Four Mile Hut which was a joint effort between our Club, the Kosciusko Huts Association and National Parks & Wildlife Service. The 3 days were a huge success due to good management and the hard work, humour, interest and varying degrees of gourmet food and beverages shared by everyone who was involved.
As you knew, the purpose of this 3-day trip was to complete as many of the required major works tasks in the Plan of Management as possible.
We were not able to complete all the identified tasks on this trip as the job ended up being too big and quite a lot more detailed than some comparable work on other huts. However, we would not have been able to complete the amount of work we did, nor to such an excellent standard consistent with the historical fabric of the hut, if we had not had the involvement of the experts, NPWS carpenter - Andrew Baker, and KHA timber supplier and bushcraftsman - Stuart Garner. Both deserve special mention and thanks.
The participants were from: NPWS - Andrew "Bake" Baker (carpenter) & David "Pearcie" Pearce (ranger); KHA - Stuart Garner (timber supplier, miller & bushcraftsman), Noy Garner, Alan Bendall (HMO -North), Jerry Greg, Jack Palmer, Chipper "Chippy" Field & Jocelyn "Rockcakes" Dodd; and NSW Nordic Ski Club - Kerry "Trench" Hunter, Ian "Rocks" Cross, Karen "Paving" Rickard, Peter "Pancakes" Lock & Michael "Chocolate Custard" Pascoe.
Those of us with less expertise managed to put in a fair effort digging holes, filling them in again and generally taking instruction from anyone who looked like they knew what they were doing.
DAY 1
Cool, bright and sunny. We were able to take a total of 4 vehicles which were loaded up with people and tools from Mt Selwyn to the slip-rail on the Table Top Fire Trail. This certainly made manageable the distance (about 1 km) over which we had to carry tools etc to the hut, especially as we needed the time and energy to work on the hut rather than spend a day walking gear in. There had not been much rain in the area for some weeks so the ground was quite dry which luckily resulted in less impact from the vehicles on the track.
As planned, NPWS had organised a helicopter drop of required timbers the week before our trip so that all the heavy timbers for the new posts, walls and gables were already on-site and ready to be cut to final length.
Work began by taking up the floor and removing the northern gables and north wall cladding (to be replaced with new later) to let in some light while we worked inside replacing the rotted corner posts.
Meanwhile we labourers started digging.
It was tools-down at about 6pm in time for a well deserved beer around a rather substantial camp fire, we were under instruction from NPWS of course. It was a bushies night where lots of very funny stories were being told by all and sundry with some determined to outdo others.
DAY 2
Overcast and cooler. Karen and Ian arrived (walked in) with looks of amazement at the scope of work we were undertaking. At this stage the floor was well and truly up and laid in order on the ground, the tin and northern wall (including gables) had been totally removed and laid in order, soil had been spread over the ground after removing the build-up from under the floorboards and it was looking a bit like a bomb site - a mess - but an ordered one.
Everyone was well into their assigned tasks which, for us, was mostly digging the drainage trenches and carting thousands of loads of rocks from the creek to fill the bloody trenches.
It started to rain about mid-afternoon but we still worked on - well mostly. It actually provided a good opportunity to test the drainage system and ensure that the water falling from the roof was directed into the drains and not where it wasn't supposed to be going. Yes we did make a few minor adjustments and yes it is definitely over-designed which would make any engineer proud.
Again tools-down that night and a few more well deserved cordials were consumed between bouts of thunder, lightning, rain, hail and cooking. The floor had been loosely placed back in the hut in case the weather deteriorated too much. So a few people ventured inside to cook while the die-hards insisted on staying out around the campfire and just rugged up as each storm or rain shower came over - the conversation being too entertaining to leave of course and the hard-cases oblivious to the conditions. A few more KHA people had arrived as well which meant that we had a good number for a party that night. The weather cleared and everyone ventured back out to the roaring campfire.
Again more tall stories and much hilarity till bed time. Thanks to Ian Cross who risked life and limb to ensure two of the hardest cases were able to get to their vehicle at the slip-rail and back to the campfire safe and sound with a couple of extra cordials. I do believe they all returned with the same slightly wobbly boot!
DAY 3
Overcast and cool, ending in a beautiful autumn day with a few clouds. Decisions were made as to how much work we could realistically complete so some jobs were left for next time.
Still more rocks were brought up from the creek to line the entrance and verandah floor and to support the final level of the floor joists. We nailed down the floorboards and put some temporary tin on the floor to protect it from flying sparks until the hearth, fireplace and chimney are completed. We had put everything back together by about 3pm (new time) which was just as well as I think people were quite tired and ready to have the job completed.
Karen and Ian decided to go on ahead and walk back to Mt Selwyn after carting a huge load of gear from the hut to the vehicles. We waited for the last of the party to bring the last load out of the hut then sorted out tools, re-loaded the vehicles with all the gear and slowly drove back to Mt Selwyn.
SUMMARY
We still have a fair amount of major work to do, although most of the really tricky jobs have been done. So keep it in mind as we will be planning another trip probably for this time next year and we can guarantee that it'll be a lot of fun and well worth your effort. Even if you're just there to get in the way, it's all good fun and for a good cause. It's amazing the diversity of people who end up being involved in the huts and how, over a week-end, everyone ends up finding so much in common and can really enjoy each other's company.
I'd like to thank everyone for all their had work over the week-end. Four Mile looks terrific, still certainly retaining its historical fabric and really looking like a solid little bush hut. It couldn't have been achieved without the involvement of Club members nor NPWS and KHA. It really was an all round joint effort.
I hope lots of members will make the trip out this winter to admire our work ... and come and tell us what a great job we did.
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