A photograph of a bark hut in the bush belonging to Les Leviston.
Up until 1926, bush sawmills were scattered throughout the timber stands in the ranges north of Longwarry and Labertouche.
Whole communities would live around these sites, with workmen taking their wives and children out to live beside the working mill.
Accommodation for the mill workers in the bush was basic to say the least. It was generally a bark and timber construction that was often portable so as to be easily moved from one logging site to the next.
It is known this bark hut belonged to Les Leviston, who is captured standing in the doorway. The name of the other man is unknown.
Note the wooden chimney which probably resulted in bark huts seldom owned for long. The bicycle standing nearby was likely used as transportation.
The huge fires of 1926 put an end to these communities. It was clearly too dangerous to have people living in these remote locations with no roads or transport other than the wooden tramlines running throughout the area.
Photograph courtesy of the Trennery family and information courtesy of the Longwarry and District History Group.
The history group focuses on the history in the 3816 postcode, including Longwarry, Labertouche and Modella.
For further information, visit longwarryhistory.org.au.