St Crispins Well Hut
Photos courtesy of Pete Dibbins.
Known as St Crispins Well Shelter or Crispins Hut.
Located on the St Crispins well track from Nieka, behind Mt Wellington.
History:
The current hut was built in 1971 to support workers from the HCC (City Council) on the MWSS Mountain Waters Supply System, replacing one destroyed in February 1967. However, this is generally viewed as the third hut on this site (or nearby, closer to St Crispins Well).
The first hut was built in 1881, and was particularly comfortable with tongue and goove lining boards, and formed the end terminal to the tramway. At the time there were also two other huts below St Crispins well, being a shelter shed and a stable. All were burnt down in the 1906 bushfires. The second hut was then built but dismantled in 1937 without a clear reason being given. This second hut was destroyed in the 1967 bushfires, then replaced by this one in 1971.
Construction
The current hut is a timber framed version, being 4.55m x 3.1m external and 2.4m height internally. The walls and roof are covered in corrugated iron, and none are lined. There is one window. The floor is dirt, with a single bench for visitors. Of note is the subtantial fireplace and chimney of cemented sandstone and dolerite blocks. This includes some rails from the old tramway.
References
Abraham, J. 2001 p67
Hartzell, L. 1993