Bushwalk Australia

Hoping to do a 3-5 day walk in April in group of 3 or 4. Thinking of WoJ , or Cradle area. WoJ is very appealing, but wondering about the hut situation up there in case weather is less than kind. It's years since I did any over-nighters, though the others in the group have plenty of recent experience. Have also thought of basing ourselves in the Scout Hut at Cradle (if available) and doing day walks, but that almost feels like a too soft option.

Bump!

I'm always keen on info on WofJ too.

I started to reply to this but got called away from the puter, families!
Trappers Hut - I have seen people sleep in it
Lake Ball - it is small and would be cramped but it was rebuilt/renovated a few years ago.
Solitary Hut - Built as a one man hut and I don't know that that I would like to sleep on the mezzanie floor that was designed as the sleeping space.
Dixon Kingdom, was planning to sleep in it once then decided I would rather sleep in a tent in the snow . I have seen people sleeping in it.
Lake meston - A good hut, slept in it this year.

I would say that you could use any of them in an emergency.

Roger

Trappers Hut on the way up to the Walls is very basic and really only an emergency shelter.
Dixons Kingdom, in my opinion, is better, but not a lot in comparison to the standard of the huts at places like the OLT, Frenchmans, Melaleuca.
In foul weather I would be more than comfortable at using DK hut.
I am not sure about other huts in that area.
There are good tent platforms at the area of Herods Gate where the toilet is.

There's been good discussion on the scout hut elsewhere, and Chris this would be my recommendation to you.
Here are some links from this forum re the scout hut.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11&p=4758&hilit=+scout+hut#p4758

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=132

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=50

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=92&p=486&hilit=+scout+hut#p486

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1131

There may also be some useful info in this topic -
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16

Hopefully someone else will have more info on the condition of all the huts in the Walls area.
Good luck!

EDIT - and after submitting this, I see Norts has responded too - thanks for that info, I forgot about Meston hut. Haven't seen it myself but met some people near Rogoona that stayed there, they said they were comfortable.

Chris wrote:WoJ is very appealing, but wondering about the hut situation up there in case weather is less than kind

Many years ago, 18 I think, I bedded down in Trappers - not a lot of sleep...

2 years ago I slept in Solitary - not on the mezzanine floor - and woke up with a crook back that fixed itself as the day wore on...

I have visited Dixons Kingdom many times, but not stayed overnight - it would be suitable as emergency shelter...

The same applies to both Lake Ball and Lake Meston Huts.

I have slept in both Hut 5 at Lake Antimony and Hut 2 on the east side of Lake Pillans, and both offer good shelter.

The platforms at Wild Dog Creek are good and there is a toilet there as well.

Tony Robinson

This link may help - huts in the Cradle / Walls area...

http://www.kosciuszkohuts.org.au/Maps/H ... Cradle.htm

Dont forget junction hut. Its a pretty good location and its also quite good to set up in. Mersey right next to you and its a good base for other walks or just to be at the spot itself. Very similiar to Meston hut and much better than trappers, dixons kingdom or lake ball

Junction Lake Hut is indeed unforgetable...if only for its resident leech population! Recently spent a night there and was constantly 'under attack' including pulling off an absolute monster which I've only seen rivalled by the photo at Lee's Paddock hut. Great location but absolute leech city.

Yes, leech city agreed

tasadam wrote:This link may help - huts in the Cradle / Walls area...

http://www.kosciuszkohuts.org.au/Maps/H ... Cradle.htm

Temple Hut looks interesting. Has anyone been there, and is it still there?

johnw wrote:

tasadam wrote:This link may help - huts in the Cradle / Walls area...

http://www.kosciuszkohuts.org.au/Maps/H ... Cradle.htm

Temple Hut looks interesting. Has anyone been there, and is it still there?

I've been to Temple hut 4 times, but nobody ever will again.

3rd time there, it was in pieces ready to be taken away by helicopter. 4th time there was nothing left at all.

It was demolished several years ago, unfortunately.

Chris wrote: Have also thought of basing ourselves in the Scout Hut at Cradle (if available) and doing day walks, but that almost feels like a too soft option.

The Scout Hut would certainly be the easiest - we went in with the kids when they were 2 and 5 - the 5 year old walked in, then walked up to Marigold Valley to play in the snow. Pelion works well as a hut that you can walk into and has good walks from. However, it could be full just when you happen to want to stay there - it was full the night before we got there a couple of weeks ago.

johnw wrote:Temple Hut looks interesting...

Son of a Beach wrote:...It was demolished several years ago, unfortunately...

Well there goes one of my side trips ! Thanks Nik, saves me from looking for something I ain't going to find .

Thanks everyone for all the info. Still haven't quite decided, but the Scout Hut's probably the most sensible option.
Just not sure how sensible I want to be though

Chris,

Acknowledging your original question was in regard to huts; nonetheless the camping area at Wild Dog Creek in WoJ is a favourite of mine and highly recommended. Well protected and very well set up, there's actually running water to most of the tent platforms through an elaborate system of retic pipes. It's a great base to explore the Walls for 3 or 4 days. If the weather did take a turn for the worse you're only an hour or so away from Dixon's Kingdom hut. Worth your consideration.

Lake Meston and Junction Hut are very similar, built by the same man actually. But Meston has lots of mattresses..
Does this change your decision?

Mattresses could be appealing, though suspect I'll be weary enough to sleep anywhere.
Think everything's pointing the same way now; just about decided on the Walls tonight, then checked availability of Scout Hut for the possible dates and it's booked out, so think we're meant to do the Walls.

Can confirm most of the info here from a trip last week.

Meston Hut - great - 4 bunks - room on the floor for a couple more at a pinch
Junction - great - 4 bunks - room on floor but we camped outside with the leeches
Dixon - emerg shelter - slept in there last winter - there is a pic here: http://frankinoz.blogspot.com/2007/07/l ... -cold.html
This trip , ran into an Aussie guy and his Danish Girl friend who had been there 2 nights - WOW, WOW, WOW, she certainly was a beautiful vision, in a beautiful area.....(lucky b@#&%%d) - should have seen the 2 * 17yo, and 1 * 19yo boys with us eyes light up)