We still have three remaining Nissen Huts at Macquarie Island. These huts are being used for a different purpose today than they were initially intended when built all those years ago.
Some more history on the huts and how the remaining three huts evolved to what they are today. Remember the story about the old man who claimed to still have his original axe after 30–40 years of constant work. Even though this axe has had many handles and just as many heads. But it still serves as the original axe. Well this could be said for the existing Nissen Huts here on the island. They all have had many coats of paint, new outside claddings as the harsh Macca weather and rust takes a toll, new floors have been laid, new fittings furnished etc, but we still see them today as the original Nissen Huts. What I did find interesting was that the front entrance doors would appear to have been kept throughout the whole evolving process. They may have had a couple of coats of paint but if you look closely you will notice that the old latches are still being used today!
Electricians Workshop: Year constructed was 1960. In 1987 it was painted orange in that year. Like most of the Nissen Huts it started as a store. Later on it was painted white. As you can see it has been re-clad in a green colourbond with a bright blue door. That door has been blue for many years. It is one of the huts that still remain today as the Post Office, music room, store room for the pool table and there is another storeroom at the back for the station assorted fancy dress apparel.
Carpenters Workshop: Year Constructed was 1960. Again this hut was used as a store. In 1987 it was painted and given a good clean out. I have found a photo from when it was once painted blue and red. The actually colour was called Red-Lead. Certainly not appropriate today. It remains today as the plumbers workshop and was given a refurbishment in 2016 after many years as a very leaky plumbers workshop. Ahhh the irony. The refurbishment included new white colourbond cladding, heaters, better lighting, fire protection and shelving. The outside porch was extended at some stage as well as the outside sink being fitted. But the door is still painted yellow and the latches are still the same.
Meteorological Store: This Nissen Hut is located across the isthmus away from the main living and other general trade workshops. It is located in an area that has the balloon release building, Ozone building, Science Buildings and the mechanical workshop. Several years ago it was relinquished over to TasPAWS (Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services) to provide an out of weather storage and display a collection of significant heritage items. These items have been enthusiastically collected over many years from sites around the island, from when the sealers did their thing since the early 1800’s. For many years these items were further deteriorating in the Macca weather in a site next to the old Electricians/Post Office Nissen Hut. So the TasPAWS hut has been re-clad in colourbond to keep it sort of dry inside. The island’s near 100% humidity rarely let’s anything dry out completely. This is good for many of the heritage timber items.
So that is what is left of the original five huts. The other two huts were removed at some stage to make way for today’s equivalent storage solution, the steel container. It is unlikely that these containers will have as colourful past as the Nissen Huts.
Peter Lecompte
