Kerrisons Hut Number 2
Kerrisons Hut Number 2 is a Central Plateau backcountry hut run by the Mountain Huts Preservation Society, set roughly 2 km from Pillans Lake. Built in the early 1960s by Steve Kerrison on the shores of Lake Pillans, it was originally planned for a gravel shore location where the James River runs out of Pillans Lake, but the hut ended up a few kilometres short after the intended route for materials proved impractical.
The hut’s original build used a corrugated-iron shell on a timber frame with a timber floor, a stone foundation, and an interior setup including separate areas for sleeping and dining, plus a smaller washing area. In 2019, emergency work was carried out to address urgent repairs; then restoration work during January–February 2024 involved raising and levelling the hut with repaired rock piers and new stumps, replacing rotten flooring, adding a front step, improving roof insulation and ceiling framing, replacing or repairing key windows, and renewing internal fixtures (including refurbished bunks with a ladder).
Use of the hut is mainly for overnight backcountry stays and fishing access around Lake Pillans, tied to the Kerrison family’s original logbook history and the restoration effort completed through 2024.