Park Morpeth Hut
Park - Morpeth Memorial Hut, Wilberforce and Cronin Streams.
This hut was built in 1931 in memory of two men,James Park and John Morpeth who lost their lives, drowning in the Burnett which is a swift-flowing stream that drains into the Wilberforce River.
Materials to build this hut were carried in by pack horse from Mt Algidus Station by the father of one of our currant members Colin Burrows. Mr Larry Burrows and his brother Bill were employed by the club to build the hut as they had already built several station huts up the Wilberforce valley.
On another occasion club members carried materials over Harman Pass 1321m and Whitehorn Pass 1753m to its current site at the corner of the Wilberforce & Cronin Streams at approximately 900m. Access is available through Glenthorne Station by ringing Jamie or Thelma at 03 3185801. 4WD access beyond here 15 kilometers up the Wilberforce to the Bristed Stream is possible.
In January 2006 a club work party extended and reconfigured the hut, removing the bunks and installing two tier sleeping benches for eight persons, a new timber floor, a ss steel bench, and a covered porch way. In February 2012 a club work party finished lining the hut and repainting the exterior.
This hut has solar lighting, mountain radio with selcal, fire extinguisher and blanket and a new outdoor toilet.
This is the second hut built by the club of 30 built over a 34 year period. This hut was built to provide shelter to trampers passing through on this classic three pass trip from Canterbury to the West Coast over Browning Pass 1411m.
Local peaks at the head of the Cronin; Pamperos Cairn 1880m, Mt Marion 2145m, Mt Rosamond 2186m, Mt Isobel 2036m and Mt Davie 2280m.
