Known as Lake Belcher Hut or Lake Belcher Shelter

Located at The Lake Belcher Hut is located at “National Park” more recently known as the Mount Field National Park, after this one was no longer the one and only NP in Tasmania. To find the hut, drive up the road towards Mt Field and Lake Dobson, and commence walking from Wombat Moor towards Lakes Belton and Belcher.

History: The hut was build for survival, but is now used by walkers and fisher-folks. It is simple with two bunks, but also contains a wood stove, essential when the weather is particularly inclement in this valley.

The hut was built by the first Ranger for the NP, being Bill Belcher who started there, cutting tracks in 1918. He was a formidable and active ranger and cut most of the current tracks through the path and erected the original huts at Lake Fenton.

Bill was considered to be calm and helpful and received awards in 1927 and 1929.

Others followed. For example, Martin Hawes was the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service’s Track Monitoring Officer from 1992-97 and is now a consultant in the field. In the early 1990s he researched and wrote the 3-volume Walking Track Management Strategy for the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. He has worked in wilderness management for over 25 years, specialising in assessing and managing remote-area walking tracks.

Caretakers: “Friends of Mt Field” FOMF