ASHTON HUT

​Eyre Mountains/Taka Rā Haka Conservation Park, Southland – March 2021

PERMOLAT SOUTHLAND TEAM AT ASHTON HUT

​Ashton Hut is located above a gorge in the Ashton Burn, a tributary of the Oreti River in Southland’s Eyre Mountains. Between 20 and 23 March, a volunteer group of Permolat Southland members restored the hut, funded by the BCT.

PREPARING TO FLY MATERIALS IN

​The team (Steve, Alastair, Marty, Annabel, John and John) flew in by helicopter, and their first job was to construct a better landing site using rocks to create a level space on the otherwise sloping bench. This enabled safer transport for the rest of the materials brought in by High Country Helicopters.

HIGH COUNTRY HELICOPTERS PROVIDED THE TRANSPORT

Next, members dug a toilet hole, and began constructing a new long-drop, with a skylight roof to allow for additional lighting.

NEW DUNNY

The next jobs included making a new table and stools for inside, and installing a new 1000-litre watertank on a purpose-built stand.

NEW WATERTANK AND STAND

​After removing the old roofing iron, the team installed a new ridge cap and flashing, and well as new chimney stays. A few holes in the walls and chimney were repaired, and flashing installed over the window too.

TACKLING THE ROOF

​Inside, the group replaced the old floor with treated ply, and fitted a new steel fire shield in the open fire. New shelves in the porch, a sign to show the way to the new toilet (hidden in nearby trees), and an overflow vent in the watertank completed the job.

PORCH ROOF

​Altogether the team spent 162 person-hours on Ashton Hut over four days, leaving it in great nick for the future.

A VISIT FROM THE BUILDING INSPECTOR

​Nice work thank you Permolat Southland!