Mudd Hutt

I blogged on Tuesday about discovering Mudd Hut in the Mangaone Valley, and asked if people knew anything about it.

A reader e-mailed me:

Mudd Hutt was built by boys, parents, friends and leaders of the 34th Wellington Boy Brigade company – i’d guess in the 60’/o70’s from recycled building materials, – on land owned by the Carter family of Waikanae.  Did you find the flying fox and our famed long drop?  The Hutt was a proud asset of our company, greatly cared for and respected.  While staying at the hutt us boys would learn tramping skills, we marked tracks around the hills, including one up to Kapakapanui herself, camping and cooking skills, we invented and played fantastic games – variations on spotlight, hogans heroes, and late night card games.  I spent many weekends around the hutt mostly on organised trips with Boys Brigade and other times when we aged and became more ‘responsible – yeah right’ we were allowed to make our own trips up there and we hunted and played up.  It’s a personal piece of paradise and I have many warm memories of great times up there.  A dear friend of mine’s ashes are spread around Mudd Hutt.  Mudd was the name of the leaders of the 34th Wgtn boys Brigade company – a Mr Albert Mudd. He was a lovely gentle modest man, an ex soldier and he would tell us ripping yarns about some of his experiences in desert warfare, durign BB religious instruction.  During an enduring moment of deep nostalgia this time last year I called the land owners and asked if we could go up for a look and maybe stay a night but since seeing the hutt has been so neglected and used as a base for the loggers and the logging operations the magic has gone from the place. 

Mmmm, might be due for another trip up there to exorcise a few more ghosts…

I’m grateful for the piece of history. It brough back memories of my own youth, with many great times spent out in the bush at various huts. The location of Mudd Hut is superb – I envy those who got to use it.

If I was ever super rich, I think I would build and donate 100 or so huts for use of youth groups campign and tramping.