Ilawong Lodge
Also known as Pounds, Pounds Ck, Tin Hut 1 and Illawong.
Location
About 1.5Km south of Guthega, this hut was built as a ski lodge and
has been renovated a number of times. It is generally closed, but there
is minimal space underneath, for those requiring it, as a survival shelter.
At grid reference 215711 on the Mt Kosciusko 1:25,000 map. A GPS position
is available.
Brief History
The first hut built here was called Pounds Creek Hut in 1925-26. At
that time, only two other huts existed, Betts Camp and The Kosciuszko
Hotel. It remains but has been extended considerably. This first structure
was built by the NSW Government Tourist Bureau for Dr Schlink in 1926,
as a location for ski touring. It had two rooms and four bunks, and
was intended to be one amongst a group of interlinked ski chalets, along
with Kunama and Albina, both of which have now gone. The original Pounds
Creek design and photograph are
available.
It was extended in 1956 by John Turner and others as a club lodge,
and is now associated with the Australian Alpine Club and their prominent
members, Tim Lamble and Robert Pallin. Members take considerable pride
in the fact that all materials and supplies for the hut are carried
in by hand.
There is a well marked crawl space under the building for shelter in
an emergency, (see picture below) but it is barely high enough to sit
upright. However it is lined, and would be comfortable and safe in a
blizzard. A snow shovel is kept above the front door.
Lodge members were also responsible for building and maintaining the
swing bridge across the river, which is very useful for skiers heading
up onto the main range.
With the advent of the new Plan of Management in 2004, there is a proposal
to cease the lease on the hut, and open it to the public, but how that
will actually occur, has not been finalised.
Construction
The lodge is large and consists of four main rooms with a roof and
walls of iron, floor of wood, lined. It includes solar power and gas
heaters. The toilet is inside the lodge.
Reference
- KHA reference number is 2424.
- Hueneke Pp9, 19.
Other Photographs
This photo shows the space under Illawong Lodge (on the north west
side), available to the public as emergency shelter. Four people, maybe
more, could easily shelter here.
Photograph copyright Olaf Moon © 2000
Profile last updated 31 October 2003.
