Howletts Hut Upgrade

Howletts Hut

​Howletts Hut is one of the most historic club huts in the country, and has served as welcome refuge for trampers and hunters for over 80 years. It's located in a snug location on Daphne Ridge in Ruahine Forest Park. The first hut to occupy the site was built by local botanist and school teacher William Howlett in 1893-4. Howlett's hut lasted until 1930, and was replaced by a second hut built by the Ruahine Tramping Club (RTC) in 1940, with help from the Heretaunga Tramping Club. After the RTC disestablished, the Heretaunga Tramping Club took over the hut, and undertook a major renovation in 1979-1980. Club members have lovingly maintained the hut ever since, and made several small upgrades over the years, but have largely retained its original shape and character.

In Round 6 the club applied to the Backcountry Trust for funding to upgrade the bench to a new stainless steel one. In February 2018 John Montgomerie with a couple of others from the club flew in with the new bench and some more fuel for the heating in the hut. The old galv bench was stripped off and the new bench fitted and glued down to the existing frame.

On the same trip the hut was given a full clean with sadly the club also having to fly out a bit of rubbish that some users had been leaving there over the last couple of years.

Fresh paint was also taken in on this trip for a later planned paint job on the hut which will be done some time in 2020 but the club.

Finished bench and upstand