Bon Accord Hut, Alpine Huts 1994-5 sheet 27 4
Victorian Alpine Huts survey, for Parks Victoria 1994-5.
The Bon Accord track led from Harrietville up the east branch of the Ovens River to the foot of the Bon Accord spur and then to the Razorback. It is thought to have led to the Bon Accord mine in the Mt Wills gold field{ see Mt Wills Gold Field plan}. At one period, this was used as a cattle track to the Hotham-Loch snow-plains (by the Blairs and others) when Dungey's Track was blocked by fallen trees { Stephenson: 276}. John Lawler had the grazing rights over the block in 1908, then covering some 13,500 acres, followed by TE Whitehead of Urana and then William Lawler in the 1920s{ DCNR 644/121}. After a vacant period, the block was taken by Edward Dyason & Co. (Melb. sharebrokers also of Wandiligong) in 1931{ ibid.}. Neil Gow followed in 1937, with W Howard joining him in the mid 1940s. Typical of the late 1940s, restrictions were placed on stock type and numbers and the grazing period. By 1960 only the northern part could be used for grazing (2200 acres). The first hut on the site was built as a four-bunk 16x10' hut for the Tourist Resorts Committee in 1929, reputedly in place of Lawler's Hut, but it was burnt (along with Hotham Heights, St Bernard Hospice, and the Feathertop Bungalow) in the 1939 fires{ Stephenson (1982): 290, 184}. The hut was rebuilt in 1939 reputedly for the Victorian Railways. Both the 1929 and 1939 huts are thought to have been built by Martin Lawler who is also been attributed with Cope Hut's construction { Stapleton: 191}. Bon Accord hut is shown on the 1945 `Kiewa Scheme' plan but with no occupation license covering the site in the 1980s{ MP:70; Boadle (1983): 8; HO16956 letter from E Johnson 5.10.44 describes hut as owned by Railway Dept.}. The c1939 hut was built in transportable sections and taken via the alpine road to the Razorback crossing. From there it was sledged in by `Sandy Lawler' and erected during an upgrade of the track. Eric Stewart was behind raising the money to rebuild the hut and the track, along with a new bridge at the Ovens River{ Stephenson (1982): 187f; Lloyd:355.}. It is pictured under snow with a gathering of pack horses at the verandah; this was the stopping point for the horses, hence the stable and yards. The development of the Bon Accord spur route to the snowfields was furthered by a decision to hold the University Ski Club championships at Mt Hotham in the early 1930s. J Warrand Begg wrote of his 1931 investigations of the route, noting that it once served the old Bon Accord mine (see old battery remnants, battery keeper's house near Ovens River bridge){ Stephenson (1982): 183}. Once established, this route became the favoured one for skiers, with guides such as Frank Wraith{ ibid.}. In 1944 the monthly ski magazine, `Schuss', noted the valued activities of a Harrietville miner, Eric Johnson, who guided and packed ski tours via Bon Accord Hut (since c1943): it was a luxury for those who previously had to carry their own pack to now have Johnson's two horse-drawn sledges doing the job{ HO16956 cites `Schuss' 9.1944: 132}. At that time Johnson built a small hut (at or near Biplane Hut) on the snowline to aid in this service (now in ruins). The magazine described Johnson's knowledge of the alpine area as `so great that his presence in that area is the cause for considerable relief to the many skiers and others associated with snow sports in that locality'{ ibid.}. Johnson also worked in with the Victorian Railways who provided weekly ski holidays{ Stephenson (1982): 199}. At that time Johnson applied for a permissive occupancy half a mile east of this hut at the start of the snow poles and built a `tiny hut' to aid in the transfer of packs to the chalet. Here he housed the upper end of the phone line from the Bon Accord Hut and his carrying equipment; nearby there were stables and yards for the horses. The lands Department noted that the hut would be `a decided acquisition to the already popular tourist resort'{ HO16956 note on Johnson letter 5.10.44}. However the Victorian Railways did raise an objection a year later to what they understood was Johnson's intention to lease the hut{ ibid.}. Johnson gave up the hut occupation c1950. In 1983 Bon Accord Hut (6.74x 4.5mx 2.19m) was described as clad with c.g.i., with a timber floor, large rubble stone fireplace and a porch at the eastern entry point, and a verandah along the north side, both with earth floors. The hut was framed with sawn timber, but unlined except for cement sheeting remnants to the ceiling. Two windows each had 12 panes, the door was timber, and furnishings included a table, bench seating which ran around the walls and along the verandah, and 4 steel-framed beds. Nearby was a 4.7x3.7m log-framed `stable' with c.g.i. wall and roof cladding, and a dirt floor. Then it was used by walkers, more often in summer than winter, but no one walking group maintained it. Access was by foot 2.5K (40 minutes down, 1 hour return) from the Razorback and the hut site was surrounded by alpine ash regrowth. Tatnall has also noted that it was built from transportable sections{ Tatnall, 1988: 1}
Bon Accord Hut, Alpine Huts 1994-5 sheet 27 4
Victorian Alpine Huts survey, for Parks Victoria 1994-5.
The Bon Accord track led from Harrietville up the east branch of the Ovens River to the foot of the Bon Accord spur and then to the Razorback. It is thought to have led to the Bon Accord mine in the Mt Wills gold field{ see Mt Wills Gold Field plan}. At one period, this was used as a cattle track to the Hotham-Loch snow-plains (by the Blairs and others) when Dungey's Track was blocked by fallen trees { Stephenson: 276}. John Lawler had the grazing rights over the block in 1908, then covering some 13,500 acres, followed by TE Whitehead of Urana and then William Lawler in the 1920s{ DCNR 644/121}. After a vacant period, the block was taken by Edward Dyason & Co. (Melb. sharebrokers also of Wandiligong) in 1931{ ibid.}. Neil Gow followed in 1937, with W Howard joining him in the mid 1940s. Typical of the late 1940s, restrictions were placed on stock type and numbers and the grazing period. By 1960 only the northern part could be used for grazing (2200 acres). The first hut on the site was built as a four-bunk 16x10' hut for the Tourist Resorts Committee in 1929, reputedly in place of Lawler's Hut, but it was burnt (along with Hotham Heights, St Bernard Hospice, and the Feathertop Bungalow) in the 1939 fires{ Stephenson (1982): 290, 184}. The hut was rebuilt in 1939 reputedly for the Victorian Railways. Both the 1929 and 1939 huts are thought to have been built by Martin Lawler who is also been attributed with Cope Hut's construction { Stapleton: 191}. Bon Accord hut is shown on the 1945 `Kiewa Scheme' plan but with no occupation license covering the site in the 1980s{ MP:70; Boadle (1983): 8; HO16956 letter from E Johnson 5.10.44 describes hut as owned by Railway Dept.}. The c1939 hut was built in transportable sections and taken via the alpine road to the Razorback crossing. From there it was sledged in by `Sandy Lawler' and erected during an upgrade of the track. Eric Stewart was behind raising the money to rebuild the hut and the track, along with a new bridge at the Ovens River{ Stephenson (1982): 187f; Lloyd:355.}. It is pictured under snow with a gathering of pack horses at the verandah; this was the stopping point for the horses, hence the stable and yards. The development of the Bon Accord spur route to the snowfields was furthered by a decision to hold the University Ski Club championships at Mt Hotham in the early 1930s. J Warrand Begg wrote of his 1931 investigations of the route, noting that it once served the old Bon Accord mine (see old battery remnants, battery keeper's house near Ovens River bridge){ Stephenson (1982): 183}. Once established, this route became the favoured one for skiers, with guides such as Frank Wraith{ ibid.}. In 1944 the monthly ski magazine, `Schuss', noted the valued activities of a Harrietville miner, Eric Johnson, who guided and packed ski tours via Bon Accord Hut (since c1943): it was a luxury for those who previously had to carry their own pack to now have Johnson's two horse-drawn sledges doing the job{ HO16956 cites `Schuss' 9.1944: 132}. At that time Johnson built a small hut (at or near Biplane Hut) on the snowline to aid in this service (now in ruins). The magazine described Johnson's knowledge of the alpine area as `so great that his presence in that area is the cause for considerable relief to the many skiers and others associated with snow sports in that locality'{ ibid.}. Johnson also worked in with the Victorian Railways who provided weekly ski holidays{ Stephenson (1982): 199}. At that time Johnson applied for a permissive occupancy half a mile east of this hut at the start of the snow poles and built a `tiny hut' to aid in the transfer of packs to the chalet. Here he housed the upper end of the phone line from the Bon Accord Hut and his carrying equipment; nearby there were stables and yards for the horses. The lands Department noted that the hut would be `a decided acquisition to the already popular tourist resort'{ HO16956 note on Johnson letter 5.10.44}. However the Victorian Railways did raise an objection a year later to what they understood was Johnson's intention to lease the hut{ ibid.}. Johnson gave up the hut occupation c1950. In 1983 Bon Accord Hut (6.74x 4.5mx 2.19m) was described as clad with c.g.i., with a timber floor, large rubble stone fireplace and a porch at the eastern entry point, and a verandah along the north side, both with earth floors. The hut was framed with sawn timber, but unlined except for cement sheeting remnants to the ceiling. Two windows each had 12 panes, the door was timber, and furnishings included a table, bench seating which ran around the walls and along the verandah, and 4 steel-framed beds. Nearby was a 4.7x3.7m log-framed `stable' with c.g.i. wall and roof cladding, and a dirt floor. Then it was used by walkers, more often in summer than winter, but no one walking group maintained it. Access was by foot 2.5K (40 minutes down, 1 hour return) from the Razorback and the hut site was surrounded by alpine ash regrowth. Tatnall has also noted that it was built from transportable sections{ Tatnall, 1988: 1}