Cootapatamba Hut is a survival shelter in the river valley south of

Mount Kosciuszko Mount Kosciuszko ( ; ; Ngarigo: ) is the highest mountain of the mainland Australia, at above sea level. It is located on the Main Range of the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park, a part of the Australian Alps National Parks and ...

, in the

Kosciuszko National Park The Kosciuszko National Park ( ) is a national park and contains mainland Australia's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko, for which it is named, and Cabramurra, New South Wales, Cabramurra, the highest town in Australia. Its borders contain a mix o ...

, New South Wales, Australia. The hut was originally built by the Snowy Mountains Hyrdo-Electrict Authority, previously known as the Snowy Mountains Authority (SMA), in the 1950s, as part of the

Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme The Snowy Mountains Scheme, also known as the Snowy Hydro or the Snowy scheme, is a hydroelectricity and irrigation in Australia, irrigation complex in south-east Australia. Near the border of New South Wales and Victoria (Australia), Victoria, ...

. The hut was placed strategically in the river valley to catch people leaving the summit of Mount Kosciusko in poor weather, where the path down the valley would appear to head to safer areas, despite it leading into deeper wilderness. The bright red paint means the hut is clearly visible from Mount Kosciusko. In early 2019, after inspecting the hut, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPSW) inspected the hut and decided that it should be rebuilt. Due to the hut being heritage listed, the design had to comply with strict heritage guidelines. In February and March 2019, the old hut was moved. A new frame, using steel supports, was concreted into position. By April 2019, following multiple setbacks, including bushfires and gale-force winds, the new replica hut was completed. The hut has two entrances: One from a door at ground level, and another on the roof to access the hut in deep snow.

References

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External links

Kosciuszko Huts Association information page
Mountain huts in Australia Snowy Mountains Kosciuszko National Park