A Hut Above the Snowline

[Stephen Whiteside]

That's the new Dibbins Hut, isn't it. I've got some great photos of the old one, but I can't work out how to post them!

Here's a Dibbins poem instead!


Marching Into Dibbins

© Stephen Whiteside 13.12.04

Our packs are big and heavy, but we’re feeling fit and strong.
We’re marching into Dibbins, and it shouldn’t take too long.
It’s a great yet simple method to escape the city’s throng,
And we’re marching into Dibbins in the great Australian bush.

The Dibbins brought their cattle to the mountains long ago.
They built a hut to shield them from the wind, the rain and snow.
It’s nestled in a valley deep where crystal waters flow,
And we’re marching into Dibbins in the great Australian bush.

The Dibbins now have all passed on. No Dibbins yet remain.
Their hut was old and shabby, but it’s been re-built again.
It stands beside the river on a small and grassy plain,
And we’re marching into Dibbins in the great Australian bush.

Once we’re there, we’ll pitch our tent, our little nylon dome.
We will not brush our teeth tonight. Our hair we will not comb.
Tomorrow when the sun comes up, we’ll pack, and head for home.
We’ll be marching OUT from Dibbins in the great Australian bush.

Living in the city there are times, alas, one finds
That the ugly traffic noise intrudes beyond the window’s blinds,
And, if not in the strictest sense, at least inside our minds,
(whisper)
We’ll be marching into Dibbins in the great Australian bush!

[Neville Briggs]

I enjoyed your poem Will. An interesting and imaginative way to form the picture, personalising the object rather than just a bland topographical description. I must confess, I know almost nothing about alpine huts, so I was educated as well.

[Stephen Whiteside]

You're right, Marty. It's only two syllables. You're probably right about the scanning, too. To be honest, I don't get too hung up about scanning. I allow myself the occasional syllable here and there if I feel it works OK as a performance piece.

Sometimes I feel it's a mistake to make your work scan too perfectly. It can sound too perfect. The occasional dropped or added syllable can give your work a slight 'roughness' that adds character or authenticity.

[warooa]

All very interesting fellas . . . thanks for the info Stephen - get stuck into that book, mate. Great pics Manfred, you can feel the cold . . brrrr! And of course the Hut poem Will . . like Heather I reckon it's great how you've written it from the Hut's perspective.

Cheers, Marty

[Heather]

I recall Will also wrote a poem last year about a dog and his master on the beach written from the dog's point of view - A Dog's Life. It was brilliant too.

Heather

[Bellobazza]

G'day all...
Sorry not to reply before this, still catching up! Great to see so much interest shown in these historic heritage icons.

Manfred, you are obviously more familiar with the high country huts than I am (is that you sqatting outside Dibbens? If so, just what, prey tell, is that red stuff hanging around your ankles? Warming your knees in the sunshine perhaps??)

These huts are rare links to Australia's pioneer past, as I found out when researching for this poem. Wallace Hut was constructed in 1889 (the oldest surviving high-country hut) from materials found on-site or nearby. The original roof was shingled and a large flat stone for the fireplace back was dragged on horse-drawn sledge some distance from Pretty Valley. It became known as "The Seldom Seen Inn" because of its isolation and its concealment in a grove of snow gums. I'm not sure if they are still there, but the names of some of the first cattlemen to use the hut were burnt into the roof tie-beams and behind the fireplace. The Wallace boys, with help from friends, narrowly averted the destruction of the hut by bushfire in 1939. There was a very close shave in the 2003 fires, parks personnel the saviours on that occasion. Many other huts were unfortunately lost though. A lot of snow gums were damaged in the that fire. They can take from 50 to 75 years to recover apparantly.The roof was replaced with corrugated iron, and the lean-to was in the 1930's.

There was originally one small window that looked out toward Mount Kosciusko.
That thought led me to write another high-country poem call "Top of the World" which I'll post separately.

[manfredvijars]

G'day Will, that's my Mate Bernard. We've been fortunate enough to go on a few trips together, from the Victorian High Country, Noosa River Cooloola region and Central Tablelands (west of Carnarvon Gorge) as well as Mt Barney and along the Scenic Rim Qld-NSW Border Ranges. I'll post more pics as opportunities arise.

The red around Bernard's ankles are his gaiters, mine happen to be blue. It's a funny uniform bushwalkers wear - heavy boots, gaiters to just below the knees, shorts, rainproof parka, pack (mine's that red thing on the table) and hat.

Will, I'd query the source of "... one small window that looked out toward Mount Kosciusko", Wallace's Hut is a long way from Kosciusko. Mt Feathertop perhaps?

That particular trip was a four nighter from Mt Hotham across the Bogong High Plains, crossing Mt Bogong and ending in Mt Beauty township. We were fortunate enough to be able to stay in huts all the way - Dibbins, Cope, Edmonsons and Cleve Cole huts.

Stephen, great info on the huts (and piece on Dibbins) and loved the Red Robin Miner. We found that Dibbins was as cold as hell (that trip was in May) and we rather liked the location of Cope hut - and that had nothing to do with the copius lashings of Single Malt that night. I think Cope Saddle hut is the one the Electricity Commission erected. It's as big as a double outside dunny and it sits like a shag on a rock (we didn't stay in that one).

Cheers,

M.

[David J Delaney]

G'day all, I know almost nothing about the high country you have mentioned here, though my grandfather & step-grandmother met and married at Cooma, my grandfather & 3 uncles worked on the snowy scheme.

I am so enjoying this page, the poems & photos are great.

[Bellobazza]

G'day Manfred...
As I said, you know much more than I about Wallace Hut. I'm happy to concede your point about the view of Kosciusko, since I've only visited the hut in imagination. My comment is a direct quote from Parks Victoria heritage website.
Maybe Kossie has worn down a bit since the Wallaces' day??

Cheers, Will.

[manfredvijars]

... I think my kossies have worn down and shrunk over the years too Will, but in my case it's more 'mountain' than coverage ... )

I'll post a few more pics of the area ...