The Cardboard Goblet

Photo with iron covering the windows by Don Cameron 2004. All others including interiors by Olaf Moon October 2022.

Known as The Cardboard Goblet or Moorina Bay Hut or Miles Beach Hut or Peaceful Hut. The first name is best known, as it came from the fact that the hut was originally lined with cardboard, but now with masonite.

Located on Bruny Island in the far south at Moorina Bay. Shown on the Tasmania 1:100000 Topographic map D'Entrecasteaux at EN337122.

GPS location is S 43.240627 E 147.416425. Note that this hut is incredibly well hidden from all sides, so that detailed knowledge of the position may be required to find it, even when 10m away from it. If you are more than 15 m from the creek and higher than about 30m from the beach you have gone too far! (And scrub-bashing above the hut to find it, as I did, is exceedingly hard work!).

History

Is this Australia’s “Most Peaceful Hut”?

This is how all huts should be, fitted out with a good stove and every amenity that is needed from mattresses, to pots, frypans, billies, candles, cordage, toilet spade, saws, tarp, gas bottles, gas stove, sun glasses, deck chairs and much more. Even a guitar to wile away the hours of peace. Please leave everything for the next visitor.

The auxiliary ketch, Swift, left Adventure Bay, Bruny Island for Hobart on the 12th November 1935 with a cargo of 12500 superfeet of sawn timber however, heavy weather forced the Master to seek shelter under Cape Queen Elizabeth. Early on the 13th seas began to wash over the vessel which started to take in water forcing the crew of three to abandon the vessel.

The Swift was washed up on Miles Beach in Moorina Bay and became a total loss however much of the cargo was salvaged. The remains, which comprised the forward part of the hull and some of the sawn timber cargo, were abandoned to the sand dunes of Miles Beach.

In the ordinary course of events that should have been the end of the Swift. However, early in 1951 a pair of lads walked into Miles Beach to camp at Miles Creek, the only source of reasonably fresh water in the area. They found movement of the sand dunes had uncovered the remains of the Swift and sufficient planking from her cargo to enable a small hut to be built and fitted out with bunks.

Roofing materials and the components of a wood fuelled stove were packed in over Mars Bluff which marks the Southern end of Miles Beach As it presently exists the hut is in excess of 50 years old. The original builders continue to visit and maintain the hut and at the date of writing it is in reasonable condition although threatened by sand dune movement. Intending visitors should note fuel for the stove is not readily available and water quality and flow in Miles Creek are both uncertain.

Construction

All the primary materials came from a wrecked ship and originally the lining was done in cardboard, hence the name. It is now lined with masonite. There is a solid wood floor and surround-light windows made from perspex. The roof is of iron, mostly covered by the local shrubs.

There are bunks for four, maybe five at a pinch, plus a work bench and kitchen table. Water is available from the creek with plenty in 2022 after the rain, but it would be wise to boil it.

GPS: S43.240627 E 147.416425

References