Hut with shearing shed beyond
Interior of hut showing bunks
Interior of hut
Rear of hut (right) with shearing shed beyond (left)
Interior of shearing shed
Accommodation
Hut,
'Walk-in' site,
Water Tank
'Walk-in' site,
Water Tank
Water Tank Level
View latest reported tank level.
Report the tank level.
Mapsheet
Mapsheet 7A, Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park to north of Mt Arden;
Mapsheet 6D, Woolshed Flat to Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park
Mapsheet 6D, Woolshed Flat to Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park
Guidebook
Northern Guidebook, chapter 4, map 1
Location
The Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park
https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/dutchmans-stern-conservation-park
https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/dutchmans-stern-conservation-park
Coordinates
Contact
Bookings
No
This hut is maintained by Friends of the Heysen Trail volunteers and reserved for Heysen Trail walkers and Mawson Trail cyclists. It is not accessible to vehicles or caravans.
This hut is maintained by Friends of the Heysen Trail volunteers and reserved for Heysen Trail walkers and Mawson Trail cyclists. It is not accessible to vehicles or caravans.
Fees
No
Facilities
Hut: bunks, table, sink, wood heater, ceiling fan, lighting and electrical outlets, water. Camping available in area in front of hut. 2 flush toilets located in shearing shed immediately next to hut. Shearing shed might also be suitable for shelter.
History
The building was restored by the homeless men from the Adelaide Central Mission (Byron Place), funded using a grant from the Commonweath Department of Health and a donation from the Friends of the Heysen Trail.
FOHT Trail Development team visited the hut on 11/4/2022. Water level in the Hut tank was full.
FoHT E2E11 walked past the hut on 25/9/2021. The tank is a big one and as far as we could determine was well over 75% capacity.
Plenty of water.
FoHT Trail Development Team visited this site on 21/4/21. Tank water level 100%.
N2S E2E 26.4.21
Fantastic site, wondered if it was Parks or FOHT who provided it, just read it’s FOHT! Well done. Needless to say ‘water in abundance’, even flushing toilet. Had hut all to ourselves after a hard day’s walking from far side of Eyre Depot.
FoHT Maintenance team report the tank level on 29/7/20 was 30%. Tankstand has been repaired.
Stayed here on 28th June. Plenty of water and wood for a fire. Bonus re flushing toilet, lights and fire unit. Stayed up late that night. Thanks to all who maintain this hut
ps and there weren’t any mice!!
5 star “camping” for sure! I stayed here the night of 3/5/18. An excellent place to set up for an early start the next day (en route to Mt Arden Sth). I think it would be even better if you were hiking the other way and had this place to look forward to after a long day from Mt Arden Sth.
I stayed here night of 8/9/15. Did not need a fire. I turned power switch to on, but nothing happened. Was ok for me, glad I was not relying on having power. Lovely hut and shearing shed. Nice to get water from an inside tap, and have space to spread out. Great place. Thank you all involved.
The Heysen Hilton! Big roomy hut. Wood heater works a treat. Plenty of water, lights all seemed ok. and some one has put a microwave in there! Several mice in residence.
Jim,
Great that you enjoyed the haven.
WE will be there in a few days and I will take some Ratsak or similar to deal with the peskies…
Just stayed overnite in this hut while doing the Heysen Trail — Hawker to Quorn. Wonderful refuge during a miserable nite with cold winds, frequent rain up to 30 mm . Enjoyed the wood fire and brought in some new wood
A few mice drifting around, but they didn’t do any damage.
Jim Happ, Maroondah Bushwalking Club (Melbourne)
Kym Beardsell, Neil Rivett and I stayed at Dutchmans for a couple of nights over the weekend just passed. Combustion stove is working perfectly and there was a plentiful supply of firewood outside. Looks like the stove has been slightly relocated further away from the wall and thick sheet insulation installed. We were given the combination for the lock on the gate by someone staying in one of the huts which saved the walk in from the carpark. Not sure whether we should pass that on for public consumption. A few mice in residence so take the usual precautions. Loved the place, after Mt Bryan East School probably our favourite overnighter on the Trail. Cheers Alan Davis
lol good one!
maybe someone with a car should drop an electric heater into the camp and donate it.
I know you were joking but there is noway I would lug a heater with me for hundreds of kilometres.
Kodiak – worst comes to worst, you can take an electric heater and extension cord as the hut does have AC power points available.
(and it might be warm enough in September to do without extra heating beyond your thermals and sleeping bag anyway)
yeah it would be great if someone could fix it up before I get there in september! 😛
Just spent the weekend (19-21 June, 2009) up at the Dutchmans Hut – I love this place, it’s my third time using the hut.
Everything there is still pretty good, except that the DEH has stuck a notice on the stove/fireplace saying it’s not in service – the more detailed CAUTION note shows that the flue does not conform to safety standards. So… we had no fire and were quite cold 🙁
(Oh and the light globe in the toilets was busted, but we had torches, so it was fine. Sorry we didn’t have a spare globe to replace it though!)
Are there any plans for the fireplace/stove to be fixed or replaced? Are donations required for this purpose?
As with many huts along the trail, there is no direct vehicle access to hut. Camping is not permitted in The Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park except for hikers beside the hut. Access for vehicles might be gained by enquiring wth the DEH Mambray Creek Office (ph 08 8634 7068) and obtaining a key (keys are provided for access to the Old Homestead and Shearer’s Quarters). The hut is located several hundred metres down a 2WD track beyond the Old Homestead and Shearer’s Quarters.
Alternative vehicle based campsites could include two roadside spots just before the entrance to the park, one in the open (view in Interactive Maps), the other beside a creek (view in Interactive Maps) – although perhaps not strictly permitted there is evidence of camping in both locations.