Australian Alps Walking Track (SOBO – South Bound)
Section 3 (12 days): Days 10 – 21 to Food Drop 3
11/04/2025 – 22/04/2025 Four Mile Hut – Charlotte Pass
Distance: 132.05km Total Ascent: 5,010m Total Descent: 5,066m
Time: 63 hours Moving Time: 35 hours
Participants: Damien Aggio (Report), Stephen Davies (Photos)
Day 10: Friday 11/04/2025 Four Mile Hut – Four Mile Creek Trail – Tabletop Mountain Trail North – Milkmans Creek – Nine Mile Creek – Nine Mile Diggings – Four Mile Trail Junction – Four Mile Trail (intersection) – Tabletop Creek – Tabletop Mountain – Tabletop Mountain Trail South – Temperance Creek – Happys Hut
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 1773 m
Total climbing: 533 m
Total descent: -496 m
Average speed: 3.63 km/h
Total time: 06:49:45
Damien
We broke camp at 10:00am after a frosty night, which was followed by a super sunny morning where tents dried and the solar panels put out the maximum charge into our electronic devices.
Our packs were still very heavy, so the going was slow up the many hills towards Tabletop Mountain.
We had to carry a couple of litres of water onward from Elaine Mine, as there is a long dry stretch all the way to Happys Hut. The creek here has a slow flow but we managed to collect a couple of litres out of the deeper sections, which I didn’t bother to filter.
We saw a group of native quails that flew off when we startled them on the side of the trail.
We did a half hour side trip to Mount Tabletop and took a few photos of the views.
When we reached Arsenic Ridge, we turned left down the Tabletop Mountain Trail for 500m, then turned right off the track and walked through the bush for 40 minutes till we reached Happys Hut.
Stephen at Happys Hut
Happys Hut is a newly rebuilt, very comfortable hut with heaps of room for sleeping. There is a considerable stream 40m away.
A very welcome surprise was that we could get one bar of Telstra (but not Optus) phone reception outside.
Happys Hut Logbook 29/5/2024 – 12/4/2025
Day 11: Saturday 12/04/2025 Happys Hut – Happy Jacks Hut Trail – Happy Jacks Creek – Tabletop Mountain Trail South – Tolbar Road – Grey Mare Trail – Dr Phillips Hut site – Happy Jacks Road (intersection) – Barneys Creek – McKeahnies Creek – Munyang Range – Crooks Racecourse – Macgregors Creek – Tibeaudo Creek – Mackays Hut (Jagungal Wilderness)
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 1630 m
Total climbing: 446 m
Total descent: -390 m
Average speed: 4.16 km/h
Total time: 06:30:21
Damien
Initially I woke up to the concerning smell of smoke in the hut, however I found that the air outside was smoky due to hazard reduction burns. There was a light frost on the ground but also a spectacular sunrise due to the high air pollution. The day warmed up quite quickly from 0C to 25C around lunch.
Jagungal from Tolbar Road – Grey Mare Trail track The walking was easy enough along a good road surface. Water was regularly available until lunchtime, after which there was none for the two hours between McKeahnies Creek to Mackays Hut.
A handful of flies came out today but not enough to annoy us. This was the most we have seen all trip so far.
Day 12: Sunday 13/04/2025 Mackays Hut – Grey Mare Trail – Diggers Creek – Doubtful Gap Trail (intersection) – Doubtful Creek – Farm Ridge Trail – Farm Ridge Camp – Bogong Creek – Hut Creek – O’Keefes Hut – SMA Rain Gauge – Tumut River – Tumut River Campsite
Kosciuszko National Park (Jagungal Wilderness area) , NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 1726 m
Total climbing: 551 m
Total descent: -437 m
Average speed: 3.71 km/h
Total time: 06:45:11
Damien
Woke up to yet another brilliant weather day.
After completing all the usual morning chores we were back on the trail by 9:00am. Plenty of streams of water along the way ensured that I didn’t have to carry a drop of water all day. After passing four youngsters from Sydney on the trail (on a Derschkos Hut via Farm Ridge trip) we arrived at O’Keefes Hut for lunch by 12:00pm. And again we had Telstra only phone reception outside.
Jagungal from Grey Mare Trail just past O’Keefes Hut
I am beginning to suspect my Optus iPhone 14 has a sinister streak. Every single time we have had Telstra phone reception on this trip my iPhone showed we had no network reception (a satellite symbol). It should have been showing the “SOS” symbol. At the same time Stephen was talking on his iPhone right next to me.
I wonder if I would be left unable to call SOS in an emergency!
During the day we also ran into two young females out for three days and later a retired couple.
After a long warm lunch break we carried onward under the gaze of the ever present Mount Jagungal above. At 3:30pm we stumbled upon a quaint little campsite near the Tumut River where we set up our tents and pondered our assault on the “Shy Mistress” – Jagungal the following morning.
0’Keefes Hut Logbook 15/2/2023 – 13/4/2025
Day 14: Monday 14/04/2025 Tumut River campsite – Tumut River – Mt Jagungal Walking Track – Mount Jagungal – Grey Mare Trail – Round Mountain Fire Trail – Tooma River – Derschkos Hut
Kosciuszko National Park (Jagungal Wilderness area), NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 2052 m
Total climbing: 592 m
Total descent: -628 m
Average speed: 3.21 km/h
Total time: 10:00:18
Damien
At 4:00am I received the call to get up. It was more than two hours before sunrise. It was very cold, inside the tent was wet and outside was frosty.
I mopped up the tent inner as best I could with my Chux, before getting out of my sleeping bag. I had a bar for breakfast and then we were off into the darkness with our headlamps on.
Moonset from Jagungal
All our wet weather gear was on for protection against the dew covered plants which crossed the trail on the way up the mountain. It took us 90 minutes to reach the summit of Jagungal. The sky was already red in the clouds above the eastern horizon a full hour before sunrise. We took plenty of photos in freezing wind for over an hour, before going for a walkabout perusing the ridges across the tops around Jagungal.
We also made phone calls home as there is phone reception on the summit. As usual Telstra was readily available, but Optus was a more difficult to catch and the signal often dropped out mid conversation. Whilst on Jagungal we ran into a young couple and also a family of four up for a walk.
Pugilistic Creek below Derschko’s Hut
We returned to the tents for lunch before packing up and moving onto Derschkos Hut for the evening. As we were hiking out along Round Mountain Fire Trail, we encountered an earth-moving grader coming directly towards us. The next day we noticed some new track work that it had completed. Soon after our arrival at Derschkos Hut we met and chatted with two staff from Norwest Christian College, Riverstone, who were supervising a group of seven students. Luckily for us, they camped on the crest of the hill above the hut, so we were able to maintain our solitude.
Derschkos Hut Logbook 18/1/2023 – 15/4/2025
Day 14: Tuesday 15/04/2025 Derschkos Hut – Round Mountain Trail – Grey Mare Trail – Tooma River – Bogong Swamp – Strumbo Range – Strumbo Hill – Straight Creek – Smiths Lookout – Back Flat Creek – Grey Mare Hut Junction – Grey Mare Hut
Kosciuszko National Park (Jagungal Wilderness area), NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 1698 m
Total climbing: 295 m
Total descent: -269 m
Average speed: 4.02 km/h
Total time: 03:27:08
Damien
A very easy day indeed. With only three hours walk between Derschkos and Grey Mare Huts, we a good chance to recuperate for the afternoon.
We had left Derschkos Hut at 8:30am, which is particularly easy when you have a hut to keep you dry, warm and wind free. Not far along the track we we again passed by the grader, after we had been passed by two contractors in a ute, their work now done.
Damien on Derschkos Hut Trail with a distant Jangungal
Plenty of creeks/rivers along the road which most of the time was flat. We saw a few flame robins before arriving at Grey Mare Hut where four Newcastle cyclists who had come in via Round Mountain were encamped. Later we were joined by two girls from Canberra who had walked in via Geehi Dam. As the shadows lengthened, we all gathered around the outside fire to swap yarns and eat together.
Grey Mare has one of the best water collection points around, as 60m from the hut there is a pipe with flowing water coming out of the hillside. There is, however, no phone reception.
As the hut has resident rodents so we happy enough to sleep in our tents for the next two nights. Tomorrow will be a free day to roam around the surrounding area.
Grey Mare Hut Logbook 13/3/2022 – 17/4/2025
Day 15: Wednesday 16/04/2025 Grey Mare Hut (Jagungal Wilderness area) – Grey Mare Fire Trail – Grey Mare Trail – Smiths Lookout – Back Flat Creek – Valentine Fire Trail – Grey Mare Hut
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 1761 m
Total climbing: 382 m
Total descent: -363 m
Average speed: 3.33 km/h
Total time: 05:41:03
Damien
A free day was had today to checkout the surrounding area.
A very frosty morning with a spectacular sunrise above the valley full of fog.
After seeing off the four cyclists and two hikers we embarked on an exploratory to Smiths Lookout.
Easy it was not. Initially, we walked the road up to the northern approach and attempted to ascend but there the bush was too thick to go through. We backtracked halfway down the hill until we saw a grassier approach from the western side. Crossing a depression through some low scrub we got onto the ridge which was relatively open all the way to Smiths Lookout. Here we were rewarded with a particularly pleasing vista. A highly recommended spot where a great many major peaks of the national park visible in all directions.
Jagungal seen across Straight Creek from Smiths Lookout
Atop Smiths Lookout we had 1 bar Telstra reception.
For our return, we continued south all the way down the spine of the ridge till we reached the flats along Back Flat Creek. There we worked our way back to the met the fire trail, then arrived back at the hut by 4:30pm. We saw no-one else all day.
On skimming through the Grey Mare Hut logbook, Stephen noted no mention of anyone having visited Smiths Lookout between 13/3/2022 – 17/4/2025. He suggests it is well and truely worth the effort.
Stephen
The best route appears to be as follows.
Head down to Back Flat Creek, cross at the first crossing as soon as you reach the creek and ascend the small ridge which heads NNE from the creek hitting the spine of the ridge at 1650m, Follow the ridge all the way up to Smiths Lookout, working your way around a couple of scrubby sections. Return the same way. [Note: The route we followed was very wet underfoot along Back Flat Creek so should be avoided. The described route starting at -36.212338, +148.345386 is short and drier]
Day 16: Thursday 17/04/2025 Grey Mare Hut (Jagungal Wilderness area) – Grey Mare Fire Trail – Grey Mare Trail – Valentine Fire Trail – Back Flat Creek – Geehi River – Valentine River Fire Trail – Valentine Creek – Valentine Hut
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 1763 m
Total climbing: 366 m
Total descent: -307 m
Average speed: 3.49 km/h
Total time: 03:23:16
Damien
Yet another sunny but frosty morning. Everything was sparkling as we ventured outside where the sun was rapidly making the temperature comfortable.
We noted in the Grey Mare Hut logbook that someone had recently taken four hours alone to tackle the shortcut route to Valentines Hut via Valentines Falls, due to thick regrowth. We decided to take the regular fire trail all the way instead. This involves two big hills instead of only one using the shortcut, however, it would still be a lot quicker than pushing through severe regrowth. We got moving at 9:40am and took almost an hour to negotiate the valley flats to get to the big first ascent up the trail. At 10:30am there was still a little bit of ice along the side of the creek.
Damien collecting water at Valentine Crreek
It took 40 minutes to make it up the first and biggest hill. It was a three and a half hour hike to Valentines, with six water crossings, all of which were achieved with dry boots.
We had Valentines Hut all to ourselves and filled in the afternoon doing not much. There was a critter scurrying around under the hut, but otherwise a very bright, comfortable venue. We saw no-one else all day and also found no reception.
Valentine Hut Logbook 4/1/2024 – 18/4/2025
Day 17: Friday 18/04/2025 Valentine Hut – Valentine River Fire Trail – Duck Creek – Schlink Pass Road – Dicky Cooper Creek – Schlink Hut – Dickie Cooper Creek – Schlink Pass – Munyang River – Whites River Hut – Rolling Ground – The Granite Peaks
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 1949 m
Total climbing: 557 m
Total descent: -303 m
Average speed: 4.03 km/h
Total time: 06:44:30
Damien
After all the usual morning chores we headed off up the trail along Duck Creek at 9:30am. We saw a large Samba Deer near the meteorological station. After picking up water there I realised that all water for the following week should be filtered as we entered the more highly trafficked section of the mountains. Entering this section of the National Park on the Easter Weekend would also mean there were lots of people around.
Damien on Valentine Trail past Valentine Hut
Soon we came across two groups (one of five, the second of two) of mountain bike riders and plenty of hikers (a Duke of Edinburgh group of six, two separate couples and a solo hiker aiming for Tin Hut). At dusk Heidi walked up to our camp on the Rolling Ground and introduced herself. She was attempting to beat the female record for completing the AAWT NOBO. But unfortunately there had been delays so she was up to day 15 from Walhalla and would miss her deadline.
Stephen
I caught wind that a solo female hiker was NOBO on track attempting the fastest known unsupported time for the AAWT. Her name was Heidi. Early today I had a call from my daughter Beth, who happens to work locally as a National Parks Ranger, she also happened to pass through Cascade Track Trailhead this morning where she interacted with one person who had some questions to ask. That happened to be Heidi. Beth informed me she was aiming for Whites River Hut tonight. So, through the post sunset darkness I watched a single female approached I called out “Hi Heidi”. We chatted for a ten minutes, she stating she had used our tents as a navigation beacon, pretty useful as even in daylight we didn’t see much that resembled a track above the tree line. This was her fourth time for the AAWT. She forewarned us of wild dogs she had heard between Cowombat Flat and Omeo Highway. We wished Heidi well for the last stages of her trip as she headed on towards Whites River Hut for the night.
The night sky above The Rolling Ground
Here we had 1 bar Telstra reception.
Schlink Hut Logbook 22/5/2022 – 18/4/2025
Whites River Hut Logbook 18/3/2025 – 18/4/2025
Day 18: Saturday 19/04/2025 The Granite Peaks – The Rolling Ground – Consett Stephen Pass – Mount Tate – Mann Bluff – Mount David – Three Rocks Creek – Mount Anderson – Below Anton-Anderson Saddle
Kosciuszko National Park (Main Range Area), NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 2083 m
Total climbing: 477 m
Total descent: -528 m
Average speed: 3.04 km/h
Total time: 07:51:57
Damien
Woke to a bright glorious morning after a relatively warm dry night. Unfortunately my sleep was quite broken as my tent site wasn’t level and had a big dip in it. In future I shall be more discerning when choosing a site.
After breakfast we went for a two hour walk amongst the nearby rocky crags known as The Granite Peaks above our campsite.
Damien atop The Granite Peaks
We packed up camp after lunch and walked for four hours along the top of the main range to our next camp below Anton-Anderson Saddle. Here we had 2 bar Telstra reception.
During the day we encountered numerous people out and about for Easter, including our solo friend we met yesterday who had been to Tin Hut.
Day 19: Sunday 20/04/2025 Below Anton-Anderson Saddle – Mount Anton – Mount Twynam – Tenison Woods Knoll – Watson Crags – Main Range Walking Track – Blue Lake Lookout – Carruthers Peak below Blue Lake Lookout
Kosciuszko National Park (Main Range Area), NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 2172 m
Total climbing: 725 m
Total descent: -621 m
Average speed: 3.38 km/h
Total time: 06:22:18
Damien
It was a cloudy, but dry and relatively warm morning. Stephen captured the very colourful sunrise on his camera. My tent collapsed during the night and I had to get out and re-peg it due to the strong wind.
We knew the forecast was for afternoon rain today so we broke camp at 9:00am. Soon, as we trudged up the huge incline to Mt Twynam, we got warm despite a stiff wind (70km/h at Thredbo).
Being Easter Sunday today there were a lot of people about. Amongst them, a school group of 14, who by coincidence had the same idea as us – to drop packs at the saddle before Tenison Woods Knoll and do a side trip to Watsons Crags. I’m not sure what happened to them but once we passed Tenison Woods Knoll as we didn’t see them again.
View across Watsons Creek from Tenison Woods Knoll
We got to the end of Watsons Crags, along the way getting superb views on both sides. At the furthest point we could make out the track far below near the Opera House Hut and Canyon Falls on Lady Northcotes Creek.
We were back to our packs past Tenison Woods Knoll for lunch. Near here we gathered water (and filtered it) from the gully 400m south of the saddle near Tenison Woods Knoll. As we were having lunch dark clouds gathered, with a few drops came down by 2:00pm. We hurriedly finished our lunch and got moving to our next campsite – halfway between Blue Lake and the Snowy River. As it is prohibited to camp in the catchment area of any of the five glacial lakes we made sure we were clearly below them and off track enough to have some privacy.
We conducted a few chores around camp such as collecting water and within a half hour, at about 4:00pm, the heavens opened up and it began raining. Quite fortuitous timing as we managed to stay dry and warm for the evening.
Day 20: Monday 21/04/2025 Carruthers Peak below Blue Lake Lookout – Main Range Walking Track – Snowy River – Foremans Crossing – Charlotte Pass – Charlotte Pass Village – Southern Alps Ski Lodge
Kosciuszko National Park (Main Range Area), NSW
Ngarigo Country
Max elevation: 1947 m
Total climbing: 154 m
Total descent: -323 m
Average speed: 3.56 km/h
Total time: 01:57:05
Damien
After a night of heavy showers, dawn broke with a big blue sky. We made plans of doing a day walk from camp up to the top of the range. But by the time we had finished breakfast the weather had turned and it was raining again. We simply packed up and walked to our accommodation at Charlotte Pass to get dry and cleaned up. The rain continued to intensify during the day with a severe wind chill too.
Damien breaking camp
Stephen
Our trip plan had included a rest at Charlotte Pass. We had booked Southern Alps Lodge for two nights and had my wife Sue and Beth and Pablo join us, hoping to catch up and do something together whilst there. However, the weather refused to cooperate but we were very happy to have the shelter.
Day 21: Tuesday 22/04/2025 Charlotte Pass Village – Southern Alps Ski Lodge
Kosciuszko National Park, NSW
Ngarigo Country
This free day was spent frivolously inside the lodge at Charlotte Pass as the rain teemed down constantly outside the whole day.
Amongst other photographically recorded observations during this walk we were able to confirm sightings of each of the following species: Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Brumbies (feral horses), Samba Deer, Native Quail
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Information on Parks signage along the way
SCHLINK HILTON HUT
Schlink Hilton Hut was constructed by the Snowy Mountains Authority (SMA) 1960-61 as a base for workers maintaining and upgrading the highest powerline in Australia, between Guthega Power Station and Khancoban. The name derives from pioneer ski tourer Dr Herbert Schlink first to ski the classic Kiandra to Kosciuszko tour, and the hut once being the largest and most comfortable staff quarters within the backcountry. The Guthega Power Station was designed to provide the necessary power to complete the southern developments of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme. After completion of the Power Station in 1955, the SMA constructed the Schlink Pass Road through to Geehi, establishing a construction camp near Whites River Hut to accommodate workers on the road and 11kV powerline across the range.
The Schlink Hilton Hut was originally named the Schlink Pass Hut, after the saddle 1km south of the hut. Dr Herbert Schlink was a noted Sydney doctor and hospital administrator, long term member and president of the Kosciusko Alpine Club 1909-20 and then the Ski Club of Australia 1921-62 In the mid-1920s he lobbied for the establishment of huts to support a ski tour between Kiandra and le Hotel Kosciusko; which led to the NSW Government building Pou is Creek and Tin Huts, and Schlink leading the first party on the first s tour from Kiandra to Kosciuszko in 1927. Knighted in 1954 for his se rices to medicine Schlink was also widely regarded as the ‘father of A istralian skiing’. In 1960 Sir William Hudson, Commissioner in charge of he Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, renamed the pass former k own as Whites River Saddle – Schlink Pass – in honour of Schlink’s connec ion to the region and its development.
Schlink Hilton was built either during construction of the power line or just after its completion in ‹ ither 1960 or 1961. As completed, the Schlink Hilton had 8 bedrooms acc mmodating 16 staff on bunks with mattresses, a radio room, an equipment store, a piped water supply, a wood-fired kitchen range that provided hot water to kitchen and shower, a flushing toilet and septic system, a Warmray heater in the dining/ common room, and a diesel Lister generator for lighting.
Its role was to provide shelter for line and road maintenance crews and storage for line spare parts. It’s likely that it was used as accommodation for construction workers during upgrades of the powerline in 1962-1963, to 66 kV and again in the late 1960s when upgraded to 132 kV so that electricity from Murray Switching Station could be used to power Jindabyne Pumping Station. The powerline was described by one SMA engineer as ‘the foremost among high altitude lines in Australia’ and it was inspected along with Geehi Dam by the Queen Elizabeth II during he 1963 royal tour.
By about the mid-1960s the hut was becoming known by a nickname, Schlink Hilton, thought up by either John Hellmrich, senior supervisor or the transmission line job, or Island Bend’s Bill Young, regional electrical officer. The name reflected the good facilities, (bathroom, etc) available at the hut and its comparatively large size. Only one other SMA hut in the Park – Byatts hut (demolished in the 1970s) – was of similar design. During the 1960s Schlink Hilton played an important role providing overnight accommodation during the monthly maintenance trips especially in winter. With Snowmobiles giving faster mobility to linesmer the necessity for an overnight stay decreased. The hut became less vital to SMA operations.
Up until the mid-1970s or so the SMA kept the hut locked, (though it may have been partly open in the 1960s), and also locked some storage areas within the hut (e.g. the radio room and store rooms). The SMA did however permit numbers of groups to use the hut. These included various scientists studying the broad-toothed rat and other rodents, and sports groups – in particular the NSW Amateur Athletic Association, which for several seasons used Schlink Hilton as a high-altitude training base prior to the 1968 Mexico Olympics.
By the mid-1970s increasing numbers of visitors in the Whites River Corridor area saw break-ins at the hut and the loss of important items such emergency food supplies. Finally, a locked door was positioned in the hut’s hallway, and the living room, kitchen, bathroom, former rad room and a bedroom were left open for the public. At the same time southeastern door was locked, a stove was put in an adjoining, bedroom, and at some stage security grilles were placed on the windows of this section of the hut. Still the hut was often left in poor condition at the end of winter. At least one group, the Jindabyne SMC Sports and Social Club, wanted to take over a portion of the hut on a permanent basis In 1978 there was correspondence between the SMA and National Paris and Wildlife Service (NPWS) concerning the hut’s future. Opinion within SMA about retention of the hut seems to have been mixed. In May the NPWS, in accordance with its policies aiming at the removal of various r huts from the Park, wrote to SMA requesting that Schlink Hut be removed When SMA responded by asking if the hut could be turned over to other interested organisations, NPWS replied that this was not permissible under the legislation and repeated its request to have the structure removed. However Schlink Hilton was not removed though the reason for its retention is not clear.
The hut continued to have a high level of use in both winter and summer but was dirty and the septic and other systems could not cope with the usage. In 1982 NSW Health Commission reported on the hut, after cases of sickness occurred believed to be partly due to pollution associated with its septic system. The building become known as a source of the ‘mountain lurgy’, one of the main reasons huts were closed in various areas of the park. The issue was as much to do with user behavior, in winter to stop the internal toilet freezing at Schlink users either left the water running continuously through it (which flooded the septic) or worse, continued to use the toilet after the water in the bowl and in the supply to the cistern had frozen – leaving a mess that would remain till the Spring thaw!
In the 1990s NPWS replaced the internal toilet with a large new composting toilet, which in turn was replaced with pump out units in 2002 when conditions had proven unsuitable for composting, Since the 1990s the mattresses and bed frames have been removed, the kitchen has been gutted, the ineffectual Warmray heater was replaced with a larger unit in a more central position, and the standard of accommodation has become consistent with other shelters and less like its international hotel namesake.
WHITES RIVER HUT
White’s River Hut was constructed in 1934-5 as a stockmen’s shelter for the Clarke Brothers, who held the local grazing lease. They retained the grazing lease up to 1950. The lease was terminated in 1953 to facilitate construction of the Guthega Power Station, the use of the hut becoming public soon after.
The Whites River Valley was first grazed in the mid-late 19th century; part of the Murryang (Munyang) squatting run. In 1933 the Clarke Brothers acquired a snow lease (block L1) of 6,040 acres between Schlink Pass and Guthega Creek, and over the summer of 1934-35 Fred Clarke and Bill Napthali built the main room and verandah of the current hut. It was furnished with 6 mattresses, several stretchers, an axe and a shovel. During the mid-1930s the Kosciusko Alpine Club (KAC) began to explore opportunities for building private ski touring huts and purchased interests in Whites River Hut in 1938 and Alpine Hut in 1939.
At Whites River the KAC added a bunkroom and provided blankets, sleeping bags, lighting and winter stores. Club members had exclusive rights to use the hut during the winter at a cost of fl per week. Upgrades during the late 1930s and early 1940s included a stove in the bunkroom and a two-way radio for safety. By 1950 ski clubs were shifting their focus toward alpine skiing. lodges and ski tows. The few skiers committed to back-country touring became known as ‘the Main Range Rats’. Such a faction within KAC formed the Whites River Club and acquired the KAC interest in Whites River.
The main range north from Mt Kosciuszko, including the Munyang River was first surveyed by Hugh Labatt in 1843, Munyang (also Muniong Murryang) is believed to be an Aboriginal word meaning, ‘high snowy tops’. Petersen 1957 claims the name White’s River was introduced in a later survey when the two surveyors involved – named White and Finngave their names to the main rivers they found flowing into the Snowy, Stock were brought from Snowy Plain over Brassy Gap into the Burrungubugge Valley, then pushed out onto the alpine pastures of the main range from November through to April. Ray Adams was a noted stockmen and skier, he appears to have worked with both the Mcihie’s and Clarkes out of Whites River Hut for many years and a number of early references show the hut name as Adam’s.
Every summer between 1939-44 Bill Napthali and his nephew Fred Fletcher, brought 400) sheep up on to the lease via Snowy Plain, spreading them across the Rolling Grounds. In 1935-36, the McPhie’s undertook fencing along the crest of the Rolling Ground from Consett Stephen Pass to Dicky Cooper Bogong. Napthali experimented with an electric fence powered by dry cell batteries but found it did not have sufficient kick to deter the sheep.
The hut quickly became popular with backcountry Skiers. Gilder reported its presence in the 1935 Australian Ski Yearbook, suggesting it was likely to supplant Tin Hut as a base for ski touring the northern parts of the mair range. The 1937 Yearbook included a favourable report on the hut during 1936 Kiandra to Kosciusko tour by Tom Moppett, Jean Trimble and Oliver Moriarty. This was the first K to K crossing by a woman (Trimble); a phote by Moriarty appears to show the verandah enclosed at this time (also one by C Monk published 1939 but likely dating from 1938).
Fred Fletcher was regularly engaged by ski parties to take supplies in for them. Using packhorses or horse-drawn sleds he would come in from Snowy Plain to Alpine Hut and onto Whites via the Brassy Mountains, skiing the supplies in the last part of the way as needed. Generally, he would get the supplies in and return home the same day. One year Ken Breakspear brought an old car chassis down from Sydney that they fitted a sheet of flat iron across the base and adapted into a flat sled, which Fred used for several years.
In January 1940, the Commissioner of the NSW Soil Conservation Service, ES Clayton, and George Petersen undertook a 4½ day tour of the main range to assess the environmental impacts of the 1939 bushfires. They rod with packhorses, being accompanied by Ray Adams for a few days before stopping overnight at Whites. They watched a buck jumping contest with the neighbouring stockmen from Mawson’s. When Petersen inquired where the bathroom was in the morning, one of the stockmen pointed to the limb of a tree with a water can on a chain. It was covered in ice and snow and the stockmen indicated that he didn’t use it uninviting as it was In 1943 a 7-year snow lease over Block L1 was taken up by the Clarke brothers (Fred, Harold & Will), Ray Adams and AO O Neill (in Lse 43.14). In 1946 the Kosciusko State Park. Trust took the decision to install two-way radio sets connecting, Alpine Hut, Whites Kiver Hut, Hotel Kosciusko, the Chalet, Seamans Hut and Cooma Radio Station 2Xl. The sets were Army Y units transmitting on 2720 kilocycles, of 5-10w power output. At Alpine and Whites, the sets were powered by 5 volt 525 ampere batteries, charged by a single cylinder petrol generator. The unit sat on a packing case table g, in each hut. Outside was a 12.5m high serial mast, 100mm diameter at the base, stepping down to 35mm diameter at the top, braced by 16 guys and having a lightning arrestor. The sets could transmit telegraphy but were only ever used for voice. The entire apparatus was brought in by rangers on packhorses and took about 5 days to install at each hut. The call sign for Whites River hut was VI.2HE.
1 Following the end of WW2 interest in skiing renewed and for the 1946 season a number of upgrades were made to the hut. The Canadian stove in that was in Tin Hut receiving, little use, was sledded over to Whites and ; a installed it in the back room. The aging blankets were also replaced. KAC r improvements to the hut now totalled -£250. Operating costs for that year to were $36 against a revenue of 1£35.
On another occasion during the 1940s the KAC had to undertake repairs and replace several of the mattresses when some summer walkers left the door open and a cow wandered in and became trapped inside. Work on the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme had commenced in 1949, with the Guthega Dam and Power Station being the inaugural project, constructed 1951-55 by Selmer Engineering, The Munyang, River Aqueduct running, from Disappointment Spur down to the river just below Whites River Hut and then around to the penstock above the power station, was built 1953-56. These works greatly improved recreational access but sounded the death knell for grazing, A year later all grazing above 1,370m (4,50K)) elevation was terminated across the Snowy Mountains.
Whites River hut was nearly burnt down in approximately 2010 after a de skier tried to light the fire with a bottle of shellite and ignited the wall e and ceiling. It was extinguished by passing skiers but was not repairable. NPWS with the help of KHA volunteers dismantled the hut and rebuilt it.
The power of ice
Blue Lake formed when glaciers carved out a basin in the rock. Deep as a ten-storey building, Blue Lake is the largest and best example of an ice-quarried basin, or cirque on mainland Australia.
Blue Lake is one of the park’s five scenic glacial lakes which are:
• the only lakes formed by glacial action on mainland Australia
• the freshest water on mainland Australia due to the low salt content
• the highest lakes in the country
• low in nutrients and
• covered with winter ice
The vulnerable native fish Galaxias oledius live in the icy waters of Blue Lake Galaxias wriggle onto rocks, apparently to bask in the sun.
Deep sediments on the lake floor contain evidence of past climatic conditions These can further our understanding of global climate change, which is already affecting alpine ecosystems.
“Blue Lake is, and always will be, the show spot of the Snowys.”
Charles Kerry, photographer, 1897
A wetland of international significance
The Kosciuszko alpine bogs, fens and lakes make up the only alpine wetlands within New South Wales and are generally in a healthy condition. The biggest problem facing the natural lakes is people “having to go” —human waste.
Camping is therefore not permitted in the catchment area of glacial lakes.
Remnants of an ancient sea
About 450 million years ago, when most of southeast Australia was covered by sea, sedimentary rocks formed from the sea floor mud.
They were later squashed, folded and cooked by the intense heat and pressure of earth movements. At the same time, far below the surface, molten rocks crystallised into granites.
This area was then lifted above sea level and for millions of years went through periods of folding, uplift and erosion. Many of the surface rocks then eroded, exposing the distinctive, coarse-grained granite rocks that are most common across the mountains.
The fine-grained, layered sedimentary rock you can see here runs in a band from Carruthers Peak to Rawson’s Pass near Mt Kosciuszko.
Mountains of soil
Unlike other alpine areas of the world, rich organic soils cover these mountains, allowing a patchwork of hardy plants to colour the landscape.
Plants protect the alpine soil from wind and water. Losing the protective cover means the soils are blown or washed away, often into streams and lakes.
Soil erosion—a legacy of summer grazing Plant loss occurred as sheep and cattle grazed on the alpine grasses and flowers for more than one hundred years. The soil was exposed to wind, water and ice and up to one metre was washed or blown away.
An amazing recovery since 1957 The Soil Conservation Service of New South Wales’ pioneering, labour-intensive 25 year recovery program stabilised the soil and slowed down water flow. Some of the measures used can still be seen, particularly
• straw mulching held down with netting
• drainage banks, terraces and dams
As a result many plants reappeared, including mountain celery, ribbony grass and anemone buttercup. Unfortunately new erosion problems emerged with large numbers of visitors trampling vegetation. Recovery work continues today.
The local landscape features, geology, scenic highlights, flora, fauna, Indigenous history, white history and other nearby walks in the area (Perplexity AI Model)
Landscape Features
The section of the AAWT between Four Mile Hut and Charlotte Pass traverses some of the most iconic alpine terrain in Australia, culminating in the dramatic Main Range within Kosciuszko National Park. The landscape is characterised by high plateaus, glacial valleys, and rugged mountain ridges, with elevations typically ranging from 1,500 m to over 2,200 m above sea level. The route ascends from the open valleys near Four Mile Hut, through rolling snowgrass plains and scattered bogs, before reaching the alpine zone south of Charlotte Pass. Here, the terrain becomes more rugged, featuring the glacier-carved valleys, tarns, and dramatic escarpments of the Main Range.
Geology
The region is underlain by ancient granitic rocks, part of the Lachlan Fold Belt, overlain in places by glacial deposits and alluvial sediments. The Main Range itself is the product of repeated glaciation during the Pleistocene, which sculpted deep valleys, cirques, and moraines. Blue Lake, a glacial tarn, is one of the most striking examples of this glacial legacy. The area is also notable for its periglacial features, including frost-shattered boulders and patterned ground, which are visible above the tree line.
Scenic Highlights
The AAWT through this section offers some of the most spectacular scenery in the Australian Alps. Notable highlights include:
• Four Mile Hut to Charlotte Pass: Open valleys, snowgrass plains, and panoramic views of the surrounding ranges.
• Charlotte Pass to the Main Range: The commencement of the alpine ascent, with dramatic views of the Snowy River valley and the rugged peaks ahead.
• Main Range: Glacier-carved landscapes, including Blue Lake, Hedley Tarn, and the dramatic ridgeline leading to Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m), Australia’s highest peak. The route offers sweeping vistas across the Snowy Mountains and the Great Dividing Range.
• Wildflower Meadows: In early summer, the alpine meadows burst into colour with a diverse array of wildflowers.
• Seamans Hut: A historic refuge located near the summit track, providing a glimpse into the region’s mountaineering history.
Local Flora
The vegetation along this section of the AAWT is strongly influenced by altitude and exposure. Below the tree line (around 1,800 m), snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) woodlands dominate, interspersed with silver wattle (Acacia dealbata) and mountain plum pine (Podocarpus lawrencei). Above the tree line, the landscape is dominated by alpine herbfields, snowgrass (Poa spp.) plains, and sphagnum bogs. Summer wildflowers include alpine daisies (Celmisia spp.), everlasting daisies (Xerochrysum spp.), and mountain buttercups (Ranunculus spp.).
Local Fauna
The alpine and subalpine environments support a range of specialised fauna. Notable species include:
• Mammals: Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor), and wombat (Vombatus ursinus) in the lower valleys; brumby (wild horse) and feral deer are also present.
• Birds: Wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax), gang-gang cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum), and the endangered mountain pygmy possum (Burramys parvus) in rock screes.
• Reptiles and Amphibians: Alpine water skink (Eulamprus kosciuskoi) and the endangered corroboree frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi) in bogs and wetlands.
• Invertebrates: Diverse alpine invertebrates adapted to cold, windy conditions.
Indigenous History
The traditional custodians of the land encompassing the Main Range and the surrounding Kosciuszko National Park are the Ngarigo people. Ngarigo country extends across the Snowy Mountains and the Australian Alps. The Ngarigo have a deep spiritual and cultural connection to the high country, which was used for seasonal gatherings, ceremonies, and the collection of food and medicinal plants. Evidence of Indigenous occupation, such as artefact scatters and stone tools, has been found in the region. The Ngarigo people continue to maintain their cultural heritage and connection to country.
White History
European exploration and settlement of the area began in the early 19th century. The high country was initially used for grazing, with stockmen and cattlemen establishing huts such as Four Mile Hut for shelter. The region became a focus for scientific exploration and, later, recreation. The construction of huts and tracks, including Seamans Hut (built in memory of a skier who perished in the 1920s), reflects the growing popularity of mountaineering and skiing in the early 20th century. The establishment of Kosciuszko National Park in 1944 marked the beginning of formal conservation efforts. Today, the area is a major destination for bushwalking, skiing, and nature appreciation.
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Absolutely loving the huge number of photos in all directions, showing every step of the way, side trips and all the detailed written info also, thanks for the effort of putting this all together.