Photographs of bush huts in Barrington Tops Region, 1924-1959

PXA 2174

fonds

1924-1959

Graphic Materials, Photographs

1001751

21 photographic prints - 15.5 x 20.5 cm or 20.5 x 15.5 cm or smaller - black & white

The Newcastle Bushwalking Club was founded in September 1945 by naturalist and bushman Selby Alley. Active in the club into his 90s, Alley introduced many club members to the wilderness areas around Newcastle, particularly Barrington Tops. In 1958 members of the Club built a bush hut which bears his name. The photographs document the Barrington Tops region from the point of view of the hikers and naturalists who opened up walking trails and overnight huts in the area in the early-mid 20th century. Some of these huts are no longer in existence.
Reference: Library correspondence file

Donor is Records Warden for Newcastle Bushwalking Club Inc. Photographs are from the Club's collection and were donated by founding member Selby Alley.

21 photographs of bush huts and houses in the Barrington Tops region, 1924-1967. Includes images of bushwalkers, motorcycle riders and horse riders. Some photographs were taken by Robert Marceau and reproduced in Dulcie Hartley's book, Barrington Tops : a vision splendid, 1993. Some photographs were taken and captioned on verso by Selby Alley, foundation member of Newcastle Bushwalking Club.

1. First Cricket Match on Barrington Tops, 1924. [Marceau Collection]
2. Barrington Accomodation House. Captioned on verso: 'John Hopson at Edwards Hut'. [Marceau Collection]
3. The Hut Barrington Tops. Captioned on verso: 'Edwards Hut c. 1920'. [Marceau Collection]
4. Edwards Hut. [Featuring motorcycles, horses and riders - Marceau Collection]
5. Edwards Hut. [Featuring motorcycles, horses and riders - Marceau Collection]
6. Edwards Hut. [Featuring four visitors on veranda - Marceau Collection]
7. Possibly on track to Barrington Guest House. [Featuring three female riders on horseback - Photographer unknown]
8. Possibly edge of Barrington escarpment. [Featuring four visitors standing or seated in the bush - Photographer unknown]
9. Possibly edge of Barrington escarpment. [Featuring four visitors standing or seated in the bush - Photographer unknown]
10. Rocky Crossing c. 1950. Captioned: 'Williams River. Upstream of Barrington Guest House. NBC Archives'.
11-12. Crosbie's House in 1943. Built 1935-40? Two black and white photographic prints captioned on verso by Selby Alley: 'House built by a Scone grazier. Ron Rushbrooke and I camped in it on my first tip to the Tops in 1943. Sold and removed some years later - some of it bought by Tom Meeham of Tubrabucca, on the north end of the plateau at Tomalla. Photo 1943.'
13-14. Figure is Ron Rushbrooke, 1943. Two black and white photographic prints of Ron Rushbrooke seated outside and within O'Grady's Hut
15-17. O'Grady's Hut on Barrington Tops, N.S.W., 1943-1959. Three photographic prints of O'Grady's Hut being visited by bush walkers in 1943, 1945 and 1959. Typescript caption: 'Built as a shelter hut for visitors before 1937. The sides were 1/2 inch wire net inside and out, and this was filled with earth to make a wall. The roof was partly bark, partly corrugated iron. Only the sign board remains now - 1965.'
18. Shelter Shed or Carey's Hut, Barrington. Captioned 'Carey's Peak, B.G.H. McLeod, 1928 or 1930. From about 1934 until the National Park put on a wall, a door, a chimney, 1969.'
19-20. Two black and white photographic prints by Selby Alley captioned, 'My first camp on the Tops, August, 1943' and 'Kelly's Hut, hut on the track from Stewarts Brook to Mt. Barrington, 1947'.
21. Motor Bike Hut, John Crawford, May 1967. Caption on verso continues: 'Motor Cycle Club Hut, Member of Newcastle Bushwalking Club'.

Copyright restrictions may apply: Photographs in this collection created before 1955 are all out of copyright. Photographs created after 1955 are in copyright for the life of creator plus 70 years.
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales