Lake Tahune Hut, in Tasmania’s Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park below Frenchmans Cap, was designed to provide safe, comfortable shelter for bushwalkers in a remote and challenging alpine environment.
Replacing an older hut that was poorly insulated and prone to mould, the new unserviced hut was completed in 2018 with a focus on sustainability, simplicity and durability. The brief called for protection from extreme weather and bushfire, minimal impact on the sensitive landscape, a healthy indoor climate, condensation control, and a robust, low-maintenance interior able to withstand heavy public use. Built in climate zone 8, with frequent snowfall, the hut sets a benchmark for sustainable alpine design.
It features high insulation levels, triple-glazed argon-filled windows and careful detailing to reduce thermal bridging. Large north-facing windows provide passive solar gain, while internal heat gains meet most heating needs. In the coldest periods, a small 0.7kW heater powered by nearby micro-hydro provides extra warmth. Fresh air and humidity control are managed through permeable wall construction and two small heat exchangers, helping prevent condensation while retaining warmth. The compact 60m² footprint accommodates up to 26 walkers in two rooms, reducing both material use and heat loss. Greywater is filtered before returning to the fragile karst landscape.
The hut offers both physical refuge and emotional comfort after a demanding walk, with simple facilities including bunks, dry toilets, a water tank, sink, LED lights, cooking benches, tables, seating, a porch and outdoor decks. Its limewashed timber interior evokes a contemporary Tasmanian bush hut, with engraved quotes adding warmth and character.
Local and recycled materials were used wherever possible, and prefabricated timber eSIPs allowed efficient helicopter installation with minimal site disturbance.
The hut can also be disassembled for future reuse or recycling.
