Meston & Junction Huts
Lake Meston Hut and Junction Lake Hut are look-alike huts situated at lakes bearing the same names and located in the Central Plateau Conservation Area.
Both Huts were built by Dick Reed (by then aged in his 70’s) who teamed up with members from the Ranicar and Riley families (the three “R’s”) and Alf Walters and Boy Miles, all-in-all, a very unique and skilful team of bush craftsmen. In 1969 the first Hut was built at Lake Meston from pencil pine logs sourced from the nearby bush, and dragged to the site with the assistance of a draft horse. Soon after, the second hut was built near the shores of Junction Lake, and was finished by New Year’s Day, 1970.
Palings, slabs and shingles were split on site, and the huts completed with shingle roofs and tin chimneys.
In October 2004, members of MHPS and a Parks & Wildlife Ranger inspected these huts and determined various aspects of maintenance which needed to be carried out.
Meston Hut required the replacement of shingles, bedlogs, palings and bracing, while Junction Hut also required the renewal of shingles, woodshed beams and posts. A subsequent helicopter lift of supplies and building materials in March 2005 by PWS enabled MHPS members to execute the repairs, thus further ensuring the preservation of these iconic huts, and their continued use by fishermen and bushwalkers alike.
Meston & Junction Huts Maintenance Programme
Over the past 20 years, MHPS has worked closely with Tas PWS to ensure the preservation of these iconic huts, and their continued use by fishermen and bushwalkers alike.
In October 2004, members of MHPS and a Parks & Wildlife Ranger inspected both huts and determined various aspects of maintenance which needed to be carried out.
Meston Hut required the replacement of shingles, bedlogs, palings and bracing, while Junction Hut also required the renewal of shingles, woodshed beams and posts. A subsequent helicopter lift of supplies and building materials in March 2005 by PWS enabled MHPS members to execute the repairs.
More recently, during February/March 2023 working bees were run concurrently at Meston & Junction Huts. Teams consisted of 9 Mountain Huts Preservation Society volunteers based at the huts for a period of 5 days/4 nights. Both huts had suffered structural damage due to fires burning too high in the existing fireplaces and work was undertaken to repair the fireplaces, replace surrounding wall timbers and repair the historic chimneys at each hut.
General maintenance and replacement of exterior shingles took place at Meston Hut, while at Junction Hut, windows were repaired and cladding and a rotten bearer replaced. A hut wall was also straightened and braced, with posts replaced and support rocks improved.
Works plans were prepared by the Historic Heritage Section of PWS and strictly adhered to throughout the various stages. All in all, a very productive and worthwhile programme undertaken jointly by Tas PWS and MHPS.
