Photos
| Built | 1943 by Bill Brooks, Harry Reid, and son |
| Condition | ★★★★☆ (rebuilt in 2024 after bushfire damage) |
| 1943 or 1945 | Constructed by Bill Brooks and family for sheep grazing |
| 2003 | Destroyed in bushfires; rebuilt in 2008–09 |
| 2020 | Severely damaged in January bushfires; chimney remained |
| 2024 | Rebuilt with fire-resilient upgrades and historic fidelity |
Brooks Hut was originally constructed in 1945 by Harry Reid and the brothers Bill and Cliff Brooks, who held a grazing lease west of Eucumbene Dam in Kosciuszko National Park. Built as a stockman’s shelter, the hut served practical needs during summer grazing seasons on Happy Jacks Plain. Its design was simple and functional—corrugated iron walls and roof, timber flooring, and a substantial stone fireplace. The foundation stones helped protect the structure from damp, contributing to its durability even after alpine grazing was banned in 1958.
After the cessation of grazing, Brooks Hut transitioned into a bushwalking refuge. For decades, it offered shelter to hikers and cross-country skiers traversing the high country. Visitors often followed the Hut Code, leaving kindling, matches, and firewood for the next person. The hut became part of the informal heritage network of Kosciuszko, valued not just for its utility but for its connection to the region’s pastoral past.
In 2003, Brooks Hut was destroyed in the devastating bushfires that swept through the Snowy Mountains, erasing dozens of historic huts. It was rebuilt in 2009 by volunteers from the Kosciuszko Huts Association and staff from NSW Parks, restoring its original footprint and preserving its understated charm. The new structure retained the 8 x 4.5 metre layout, including a verandah, and continued to serve as a waypoint for recreational users.
Tragically, the hut was again severely damaged in the January 2020 fires, leaving only the chimney standing. Yet in 2024, Brooks Hut was rebuilt once more—thanks to the combined efforts of volunteers, caretakers, and descendants of the Brooks family. This second reconstruction reaffirmed the hut’s place in the alpine heritage landscape and underscored the community’s commitment to preserving these modest but meaningful structures.
Today, Brooks Hut stands as a resilient symbol of alpine history. Its repeated reconstruction reflects the enduring value placed on high-country huts—not just as shelters, but as cultural touchstones that connect generations of graziers, bushwalkers, and conservationists.
The hut measures approximately 8m × 4.5m including the verandah. It features a timber frame, corrugated iron cladding, and a sawn timber floor. The fireplace is substantial, with mud-mortared stonework and a concrete hearth. A single window faces east, and the roof pitch was retained from the original design.
The 2024 rebuild incorporated fire-retardant treatments, sealed gaps, and ember-resistant sills, while preserving the hut’s rustic aesthetic.
LEO RUSSELL - Interviewed by Klaus Hueneke, 15/2/1982 4
KH:At Reids Hut or Brooks' Hut — whatever you like to call it — Harry Reid and Billy Brooks...
KH: Who built it?
LR: Old Harry Reid — J.H. Reid in '43 — I've got a note on that, I worked for him.
KH: Good
LR: Not about building the hut, but the year I was working for them....
...
LR: Harry Reid carted the stone down for the fire place with the old horse and a forky stick slide.
...
LR:Brooks' was built in '43.
KH:It was the Brooks' brothers and this other guy.
LR:Bill Brooks was a carpenter by trade and old Harry Reid was his partner in the block.. It was a share thing. Brooks' had a freehold paddock just in front of it. There was 3 freehold 1200 acre blocks
...
LR:Oh yes, that's for sure. Brooks' hut was the stable at the Boobee, pulled down and brought across on the slide.
...
KH:Apparently Brooks was also called the V-hut
LR:Yes, and it's got a little 'V' in the piece of wood over the fire place - Alan Reid put it there - I questioned him not very long ago about it. I took the local constable up there a couple of summers ago - he couldn't find where to get into it, where the track would turn off. He could see it in the distance, he knew it was there. He said, if he expected to get into these places in the winter when somebody gets lost, he's got to know how to. He asked me would I go and show him where there'd be a likely turn-off. We were in there having our dinner and I said it's the 'V' hut see. He was talking to someone about it, telling them how much he knew about it and they disagreed with him. He didn't know anything about it being called the 'V' hut. I said to Alan Reid one day 'Why did you call it the 'V' hut' and he said 'Because it was in the V of the hill there, it had to have a name'
Brooks Hut is maintained by NPWS and KHA volunteers. Stewardship efforts focus on structural integrity, fire protection, and interpretive documentation. The site is actively monitored and remains a key shelter in the Jagungal region.
Excerpts from 'Kosciuszko National Park Huts Conservation Strategy' October 20054