A 12km return hike along the Howqua River to get to this little beauty.
Nestled amongst the mountains and on the banks of the Howqua River, you will find Ritchie’s Hut. Originally built by local craftsman Fred Fry, the hut was a genuine Heritage slab construction, built as a fishing hut for the Ritchie family of Mansfield. Permission was given to build the hut in 1947. The hut was to be built of slabs and the chimney and fireplace of stone and or iron and the roof clad with corrugated iron.
The hut was destroyed by bushfire in 2006/2007 & was rebuilt in 2008/2009 with co-operation from Parks Victoria, the Victorian High Country Huts Association, local Mansfield area community groups and schools with over 2300 volunteer hours. Its remote location made the rebuild one of the most challenging the Huts Association and Parks Victoria has partaken in. The hut was largely pre-fabricated at Blackbird Hut, near Sheepyard Flat, then broken down and packed for transport to the site by heavy lift helicopter, pack horse and by foot. Volunteers walked in the 6km from 8 Mile Flat every day to work then returned at night.
So many of these huts have been burnt to the ground from bushfires & it's great that there are associations & volunteers that go about rebuilding them to preserve their history & provide shelter when needed for those who might be caught out in inclement weather.
This is such a lovely shot of our great bushland. I like the story too, particularly that it involves community still coming together for a common good - nice touch with the walkers pole giving a 'still in use' aspect.
May 27th, 2022
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Ian