Over 200 attend the opening of the new Pretty Plain hut on 16 March 2010 After three years of planning 8 months of construction by National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) officers and over 50 volunteers, the new Pretty Plain Hut is now finished and was officially opened at a celebration over the weekend involving more than 200 people. The opening of Pretty Plain Hut on Saturday was a big event. They came from Brisbane, Tasmania and across NSW.
Many families came who had an attachment to the hut from early grazing era to more recent bushwalkers and skiers.
"This is what it's all about" said Megan Bowden Senior Ranger with NPWS.
"The huts are being rebuilt as a way of retaining people's connections and Saturday's attendance was fantastic," she said.
"The weather was perfect providing great views down to Victoria and across to the Main Range. Most people were able to walk the hour down to the hut. Those who couldn't make the walk were loaded into 4WD bikes and driven to the hut.
"This hut opening has been the most logistically challenging, getting 200 people in and out.
"They were welcomed by NPWS Snowy Mountains Regional Manager, Dave Darlington, Ranger Craig Smith and Harry Chisholm (son of Bruce Chisholm) who gave a brief history of the hut. KHA spokesman, Bob Moon, thanked all the NPWS staff and KHA volunteers who helped with the project. Graham Scully (KHA) provided some more history of all the families involved with the area. Bronwyn Winter read a poem about Pretty Plain by her dad Ted Winter who introduced many kids to walking and skiing in the mountains. Neen Pendergast thanked all those involved and Peter Scobie talked about how the rebuilding was done. The hut was then opened by Bruce Chisholm (nephew of Captain Colin Chisholm), NPWS builders Peter Scobie, Uwe Petersohn, Garry McDougal and contractor Stuart Garner.
Pretty Plain Hut was one of the most popular huts in the park and its demise in the fires was the cause of considerable distress among many of the hut enthusiasts. The large log cabin was built for Captain Colin Chisholm in 1953 at the head of the Bulls Head Creek in the centre of the park about 14km north east of Khancoban. This is the seventh hut the NPWS and the Kosciuszko Huts Association have rebuilt, with 2 reconstructed soon after the 2003 fires. The rebuild program is ahead of schedule with the reconstruction of the Opera House hut and Dr Forbes now underway.
People interested in helping with the rebuilding of these huts or the conservation of the 70 other huts in Kosciuszko National Park can contact Megan Bowden on 69477016 or email megan.bowden@environment.nsw.gov.au .
For photos of the openinghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/nswnationalparks/sets/72157623505603161/
Contact: Stuart Cohen
Many families came who had an attachment to the hut from early grazing era to more recent bushwalkers and skiers.
"This is what it's all about" said Megan Bowden Senior Ranger with NPWS.
"The huts are being rebuilt as a way of retaining people's connections and Saturday's attendance was fantastic," she said.
"The weather was perfect providing great views down to Victoria and across to the Main Range. Most people were able to walk the hour down to the hut. Those who couldn't make the walk were loaded into 4WD bikes and driven to the hut.
"This hut opening has been the most logistically challenging, getting 200 people in and out.
"They were welcomed by NPWS Snowy Mountains Regional Manager, Dave Darlington, Ranger Craig Smith and Harry Chisholm (son of Bruce Chisholm) who gave a brief history of the hut. KHA spokesman, Bob Moon, thanked all the NPWS staff and KHA volunteers who helped with the project. Graham Scully (KHA) provided some more history of all the families involved with the area. Bronwyn Winter read a poem about Pretty Plain by her dad Ted Winter who introduced many kids to walking and skiing in the mountains. Neen Pendergast thanked all those involved and Peter Scobie talked about how the rebuilding was done. The hut was then opened by Bruce Chisholm (nephew of Captain Colin Chisholm), NPWS builders Peter Scobie, Uwe Petersohn, Garry McDougal and contractor Stuart Garner.
Pretty Plain Hut was one of the most popular huts in the park and its demise in the fires was the cause of considerable distress among many of the hut enthusiasts. The large log cabin was built for Captain Colin Chisholm in 1953 at the head of the Bulls Head Creek in the centre of the park about 14km north east of Khancoban. This is the seventh hut the NPWS and the Kosciuszko Huts Association have rebuilt, with 2 reconstructed soon after the 2003 fires. The rebuild program is ahead of schedule with the reconstruction of the Opera House hut and Dr Forbes now underway.
People interested in helping with the rebuilding of these huts or the conservation of the 70 other huts in Kosciuszko National Park can contact Megan Bowden on 69477016 or email megan.bowden@environment.nsw.gov.au .
For photos of the opening
Contact: Stuart Cohen
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