Track "Huts"

[Liamy77]

I have been reading a lot of criticisms regarding new "huts" on many of the tracks around... I wanted to share some thoughts on this topic and see what you folks feel about it....
I guess we're stuck with those (critisised and built) huts now. The key with the established huts i think is how can we minimise these huts' impact?
I notice from some of the photos of the bert / windy ridge hut, for example, that it looks like a shiny silver shoebox glued to the hillside - can it be adapted to have a camo paint job at least or even better a turf roof? - we may not be able to bury it as such but it may be disguisable in a sustainable manner plus if it can structurally sustain the weight a native turf coverage could greatly improve its' insulation?

For that matter why are parks building in metal and concrete when there are environmentally sound alternatives???
a metal framework with straw bale walls and a native turf roof would be lighter to chopper in, cozier,and far more environmentally sound. (just as a random example)
and why/how was the contract won for this project?- can voluntary organisations such as wildcare or community groups compete for these jobs?.

there are instances overseas where walkers have fought for and recieved rights for their walks for example Rights of public access are very important in Britain. If someone has a trail on his property, right-of-way laws require him to keep it open to the public. Even Tony Blair, who has a trail running through the front yard of his country house, isn’t above the laws of public access. this ideology could be extrapolated to how our walking areas are treated by PAW here. Why should our taxes be spent in ways that seem to be lacking in terms of meeting our needs?
but we can also accept responsibitity to be pro-active and consructive (sorry about the bad pun) in how we accept and deal with what is proposed as well as what has already been done.
I don't believe that low-impact / sustainable dwellings need to be ugly, obtrusive or clinical in style. The loo at mt Anne is an example of what i am getting at - how hard would it really have been to keep the view in the new loo they purpose built?

why not make these newer structures a feature of respect and humble intelligence as a testimony to the areas they are placed there is no reason they cant be an attraction themselves and examples of practical harmony - not just a lightweight expensive eyesore.

i'd love to hear some of your thoughts on my rambling daydreams.... maybe some might be read and become reality in the future.....
cheers all, Liam

[corvus]

Just a random thought why do we need huts what is wrong with tents ( tongue firmly in cheek) is the new Windy Ridge hut worse or better than the old one ?? old one was not much but a hut never the less so what are you looking for in the new one room service ?? it is a hut did I say a hut ,much rather a crook one than none when needed.
corvus

[tastrax]

OK I will bite....PWS hat on...

Anyone could have tendered for the construction of the hut (including Wildcare and other individuals) and if you had an alternate design then you could have submitted that as an alternate tender so long as it complied with the design specifications.

We have over the years built a few "underground" facilities including the Dove Lake toilets and one house at Lake St Clair. These were in the great period when PWS had their own designers/architects - alas we no longer have them and the free market reigns supreme.

Many other aspects of your concerns are covered in other threads about the hut.

Phil - Asset Coordinator South

PS the hut is not in my patch but I know something about the underground buildings - I was on the team that built one of them!

[north-north-west]

These were in the great period when PWS had their own designers/architects...

*choke,gasp, cough*
I have vivid memories of some of the designs and ideas produced by one such in-house architect, and even the Bert Newton Nichols Memorial Palatial Monstrosity is a vast improvement.
There was, for instance, the time this anonymous 'genius' thought of tiling the floor of the Hastings Thermal Pool . . .

[geoskid]

OK I will bite....PWS hat on...

Anyone could have tendered for the construction of the hut (including Wildcare and other individuals) and if you had an alternate design then you could have submitted that as an alternate tender so long as it complied with the design specifications.

We have over the years built a few "underground" facilities including the Dove Lake toilets and one house at Lake St Clair. These were in the great period when PWS had their own designers/architects - alas we no longer have them and the free market reigns supreme.

Many other aspects of your concerns are covered in other threads about the hut.

Phil - Asset Coordinator South

PS the hut is not in my patch but I know something about the underground buildings - I was on the team that built one of them!

Thanks Tastrax for the Parks viewpoint.
This is another example of people seeing the problems (from their point of view). If you don't camp in huts, it is not an issue (really it isn't),If you do sleep in huts, sleep in it, move on next day. Next time a hut comes up for replacement, be prepared to spend a heap of money to even put a serious proposal together for submission to tender.
I like the thought that Corvus mentioned, Whats wrong with a tent - a hut is a hut when needed. Bear in mind we are talking about the O/land track - it's gone for purists forever. No biggie - find somewhere else.

[Liamy77]

i personally prefer my tent.... but without huts where will all the rodents live???!!

[geoskid]

I like the thought that Corvus mentioned, Whats wrong with a tent - a hut is a hut when needed. Bear in mind we are talking about the O/land track - it's gone for purists forever. No biggie - find somewhere else.

Having said that, If I only have 1 night free to get away, sometimes the thought of an easy walk to Pelion via the Arm River Track purely to socialise (as well as the walk itself of course) does appeal.

[tastrax]

i personally prefer my tent....

Me too, but huts can be good in some areas. I just hope that some areas never get huts. Its now almost a point of difference between Tasmania and other well known walking locations (like NZ). I think there is actually a marketing opportunity with just tent based camping as it really is back to the individual against mother nature. Its can be just a little too easy with huts.... too much like home.

Besides, even if folks go out and get wet and cold they are then more likely to spend up big on a swish hotel or B and B or maybe some new wet weather gear when they get out from the walk... that's got to be good for business, tourism and smaller communities. Have the challenge and then live it up or buy more gear!

[corvus]

z

i personally prefer my tent....

Me too, but huts can be good in some areas. I just hope that some areas never get huts. Its now almost a point of difference between Tasmania and other well known walking locations (like NZ). I think there is actually a marketing opportunity with just tent based camping as it really is back to the individual against mother nature. Its can be just a little too easy with huts.... too much like home.

Besides, even if folks go out and get wet and cold they are then more likely to spend up big on a swish hotel or B and B or maybe some new wet weather gear when they get out from the walk... that's got to be good for business, tourism and smaller communities. Have the challenge and then live it up or buy more gear!

Like you logic Phil however there are a lot of overlanders on a strict budget have crap gear and an even crappier diet so the huts (any hut can be a blessing for them) and like Geoskid if I am only heading to Pelion via Arm river track I would choose to stay in the hut as I like to socialize with our visitors.
corvus

[olblackbilly]

too much snoring and farting in huts i reckon....give me a tent anyday where i can snore and fart in peace,...although i dont mind hanging my smelly socks up in the hut so they are dry in the morning.........

[sthughes]

I highly doubt "a metal framework with straw bale walls and a native turf roof" would be as economical as a timber framed, metal clad structure.
It all comes down to dollars and sense. Maybe both are lacking with some projects.

[Liamy77]

I highly doubt "a metal framework with straw bale walls and a native turf roof" would be as economical as a timber framed, metal clad structure.
It all comes down to dollars and sense. Maybe both are lacking with some projects.

Perhaps but if i had the 1.2 million im sure i could manage one

[tastrax]

Perhaps but if i had the 1.2 million im sure i could manage one

Just remember you have to fly everything onto site by helicopter unless the volunteers are going to carry all those bales of ... weed free certified hay... and the cement for the render.... and the sods that have been grown off site from local seed stock....

[Ent]

Hi

I like huts as a good place to setup cooking gear and socialise. I would be quite happy under a shelter with seats and table and sleep in a tent. I agree that some places just should not have huts but without huts a great many people would be unlikely to get into walking. A common thread is, "where is flat walk with hut so I can get started with my family".

As for design, I can imagine it is tricky business so I will stick to the positive and say Vera is one of the great huts but shame about the water quality. Pelion I am told is cold in winter (about to find out) but does well on my books. In fact a decent veranda is a good thing. A simple fix would be for Lake Rodway, (my favourite hut) would be a board walk to the tank and maybe the toilet. I like the old timer huts such as Lake Meston as you would not know it is there. I missed the old days when a group of motivated citizens would build a hut for community use. Such huts allow for a greater spread of people and avoided the super highway feel. My major criticism with Parks is its an almost puritanical approach to not maintaining tracks and making life difficult for huts that are not on designated super highways. Just a little of yea olde Tasmanian coming out in that last sentence.

Straw has me a bit puzzled but I am sure that our local rodents (both native and imported) would just love the idea.

Cheers Brett

[Liamy77]

how about wattle and daub then? the straw bale was just one example of many options... as for the rodents -
the straw in straw bales is covered in render...
just out of interest... are there many old huts around in need of TLC?