Travelling Worm

In this post: Craig’s Hut in Mount Buller — the hut was first built as a temporary set for the movie, The Man from Snowy River, and is now a serene place to visit in the Victorian High Country.

This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 40-year-old bookmark (give or take a few years) and I proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).

Today’s travel notes

Craig’s Hut is one of several mountain huts that you can visit when touring the Victorian High Country, Australia. The huts are all different, some basic and some quite solid and well established. Most of them were built to offer shelter to walkers, cattle folk, and others who might be caught in the sometimes wild weather of the highlands. Some of the huts are named for the families who lived in them, like Lovick’s Hut and Fry’s Hut.

Perhaps the most famous of them all is Craig’s Hut, named after a character in the movie, The Man from Snowy River.

The book I’m in

Survive to Fight, by Billy Billingham. This worm is taking refuge in a good action from time to time, while also chewing my way through The Phenomenon of Man by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.

Travel tips

You need a good thick book to protect you from the elements. It was cold in the high country, even in the middle of an Australian summer.

The photos

Me, the Worm from Snowy River, at dawn on the window sill of Craig’s Hut:

The hut was first built in 1981 for the movie, The Man from Snowy River, which was released in 1982. The movie is an Australian classic, based on a poem by Banjo Patterson. The poem, in turn, is based on the experiences of a real-life stockman named Jack Riley, with inspiration drawn from other mountain stockmen too. The hut was named for Jim Craig, the fictional main character of the movie.

As a temporary replica of a cattleman’s shelter created specifically for the movie, the first version of the hut wasn’t built to last. But it became a popular destination in the Victorian High Country trails. When the structure started to fall apart, it was rebuilt by volunteers at the initiative of the four-wheel driving community: the Mansfield Alpine 4WD Club. The new version of the hut was re-opened to the public in 1993.

In 1996, a bush fire destroyed the second version of the hut, and it was rebuilt by the local council and environmental organisations.

The hut stands high on a hill top in Clear Hills, in the Mount Buller region, overlooking the Alpine Ranges. The views are pretty decent. Hues and accents change throughout the day. Sunset and sunrise are especially gorgeous. This picture was taken from the veranda of the hut at dawn:

Inside Craig’s Hut:

Our route

Take note that the roads are closed for part of the year, due to snow and ice. You can’t get there by vehicle between June and November. The exact dates vary, depending on the weather. Before setting out, check the Parks Victoria web site for seasonal road closures.

We left the small town of Whitfield in convoy shortly after 9am and followed various tracks, primarily Burnt Top Track and Black Landing Road, to Craig’s Hut. It was easy, scenic driving for four-wheel-drive enthusiasts.

In mid morning, we took a break from driving to do the short walk (a few hundred metres) to Paradise Falls:

The trails in the Victorian High Country are surprisingly well supplied with dunnies. Dunny? That’s what the Aussies call a toilet! This one was near the walking track to Paradise Falls:

Here’s a taste of Burnt Top Track:

We crossed the King River at Pineapple Flat. The water level was low and, apart from a slightly tricky entry into the gully that leads into the river, the crossing was easy:

We reached Craig’s Hut at around 4:30pm.

Camping

We camped overnight in the campground near Craig’s Hut. The area was beautiful, tranquil, and, at an elevation of 1,450 metres, cold. The TC, bless her woollen socks, was shivering and shaking in her tent. Inside her sleeping bag, she wore thick socks, leggings, two shirts, two fleece jackets, a large padded jacket, and gloves.

Let’s finish off with one more photo of Craig’s Hut, taken soon after our arrival in the late afternoon:

That’s all for today, folks