Government Huts Booking Terms and Conditions
Check in
Check in is after 2pm on the day of arrival. Keys can be collected from the Mount Field Visitor Centre from 1:30pm onwards. The later check in time is required to allow enough time for facilities to be cleaned between guests in accordance with the COVID-19 Safe Plan. If arriving outside visitor centre business hours, keys will be placed in a labelled envelope on the front entrance for collection.
Keys cannot be issued before the collection time or prior to the date of your booking. If you are changing huts during your stay, you will need to return to the visitor centre on the day of changeover to collect keys for the other hut. Keys cannot be transferred to members outside of the original booking party. This means keys cannot be transferred to future guests and/or visitors, staying in the hut after you.
Check out
Check out time is 10am on the morning of departure. Keys must be returned to the visitor centre and handed into staff during office hours or placed into the afterhours drop box if the visitor centre is closed.
Access
The Government Huts are located 16km from the Mount Field Visitor Centre in an area subject to adverse weather conditions. Road closures may occur under the direction of the road management authority and therefore restrict access to accommodation. Tyre chains may be required for your vehicle during snow conditions. Current road conditions are available by calling the Mount Field Visitor Centre on (03) 6288 1149 and selecting option three (3).
Please note that Lake Dobson road beyond the visitor centre to the Government Huts is unsealed, narrow and windy in sections. It is not suitable for large vehicles such as motorhomes or vehicles towing trailers/caravans.
Cancellation policy
You are eligible for a full refund if you cancel more than fourteen (14) days before your scheduled arrival. No refund will apply if less than fourteen (14) days’ notice is provided. Changes to your booking cannot be made within fourteen (14) days of your scheduled arrival.
If a cancellation is made at short notice due to ill health a full refund may apply. A written application and medial certificate must be provided. This only applies to the sick party member and not the whole party. All refund applications will be considered on a case by case basis.
A full refund will apply if Lake Dobson road is closed to all vehicles by the road management authority. Refunds will not be given for reasons such as having an unprepared vehicle (example: not carrying snow chains), drivers/vehicles not wanting, or permitted to travel on unsealed roads, bad weather or lack of snow.
A full refund will apply if that National Park is closed for any reason by the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service.
Any alternations or amendments to your original booking, being transferred to different dates and/or changes in huts, will incur an administration fee of $25. If necessary, your reservation may be moved to another hut other than the one originally booked without notification. Measures will be taken to notify guests of any changes to their booking(s) where possible.
Damage fees
Any damages caused to the huts and or facilities during your stay will incur a fee. The fee will vary depending on the damage caused. If you lock yourself out of a hut and damage the hut whilst trying to gain entry, you may be charged a damage fee. If your key is not returned on time, a replacement fee of $300 will apply. Keys must be returned to the Mount Field Visitor Centre on the day of checkout. Keys can be returned to the visitor centre after hours by placing the keys in the key drop box.
Park Pass
As the Government Huts are located within the national park boundary, a valid Tasmanian park pass is required for the length of your stay. Passes are available to purchase during business hours at the Mount Field Visitor Centre. Otherwise, passes may be purchased at Service Tasmania locations or online at parks.tas.gov.au
Visitor Centre opening hours
The Mount Field National Park Visitor Centre operating hours vary depending on the season. During the peak season the visitor centre is open between the hours of 9am and 5pm. During the off-peak season the visitor centre is open between the hours of 9am and 4pm. For accurate business hours please contact the Mount Field Visitor Centre on (03) 6288 1149 and selecting option five (5).
Fire evacuation plan
As the Government Hut are located at the remote site of Lake Dobson, it is likely that there would not be any Parks and Wildlife Staff able to respond in the event of an emergency. For this reason, we require a fire warden to be appointed for each individual hut. In the event of an emergency, the fire warden must follow the Quick Action Guide posted on the back of the door in each hut. The responsibilities of the fire warden are listed below.
Chief Warden roles and responsibilities
The chief warden is the person who completes the booking and ticks the ‘I Agree’ box. All guests must be aware of the chief wardens’ roles and responsibilities. On becoming aware of an emergency, the chief warden will:
• Alert others of the emergency.
• Assist anyone in immediate danger, but only if it is safe to do so.
• Commence an evacuation and ensure hut guests are assisted to leave via the nearest safe exit.
• Ensure Emergency Services are notified on ‘000’ and provide them with details of the emergency.
• Delegate duties to available guests as required, if safe to do so.
• Ensure a search of all areas is conducted to check that all persons have evacuated. Search rooms closest to the danger first, working your way back to safer areas. A search should only be conducted if safe to do so.
• Ensure all doors and windows are closed as you go but only if it is safe to do so.
• Extinguish any small fires, only if you are trained and it is safe to do so.
• When emergency services arrive, brief them on the status of the emergency and advise if all guests have been accounted for.
• Ensure that no person re-enters the building until the all clear has been given by a delegated fire officer.
• At no point should the chief warden put themselves, or another guest, in an unsafe situation.
COVID-19 safety measures
Additional control measures have been put in place to manage the risks of COVID-19. These standards have been developed in consultation with the Public Health Department.
These measures include:
• Check in time has been changed to 2pm daily. This later check in time is in place to allow time for the facilities to be cleaned adequately between guests.
• Toilet facilities will be cleaned daily and huts cleaned upon departure.
• Guests will need to bring any hygiene and cleaning items they require for their stay.
• Guest numbers are to remain six (6) per hut. It is the responsibility of those with bookings to ensure they maintain and adhere to physical distancing requirements.
• Shared areas, such as the Telopea Red and Yellow entrance foyer, toilets and the woodshed have limited maximum numbers of people based on the 1 person per 2m². Guests will need to ensure they adhere to this limitation at all times.
Privacy policy
Your personal information will be used for the primary purpose for which it is collected, and may be disclosed to contractors and agents of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment (DPIPWE), law enforcement agencies, courts and organisations authorised to collect it.
Your basic personal information may be disclosed to other public sector bodies where necessary for the efficient storage and use of the information. Personal Information will be managed in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 and may be accessed by the individual to whom it relates on request to DPIPWE. You may be charged a fee for this service.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Snow chains
Snow chains are not available at Mount Field National Park. You will need to organise these prior to your arrival.
Facilities
The following facilities are located at the Government Huts:
• A sink with running water (this water is untreated; it is recommended that you treat the water before consumption either through purification tablets/filters or by boiling for at least three (3) minutes)
• 6 single bunk beds and mattresses (these beds cannot be moved or joined together)
• A table
• A wood heater
• A woodshed with a blockbuster. Please note that you may need to split and collect firewood from the woodshed and carry it to your hut
• Shared composting toilet facilities
There are no shower facilities at the Government Huts. Showers are located at the base of the park in the campground and can be accessed once a $4 fee is paid. Please see staff at the visitor centre for further information.
What to bring
Come prepared as if you are going camping; we recommend the items below as a minimum:
• Bedding – sleeping bag, pillow, sheets etc.
• Cooking equipment – gas stove, pots and pans, plates and cutlery.
• Lighting – lanterns, headlamps or torches. Candles and kerosene are not permitted as these present a fire hazard.
• Fire starters – newspaper, firelighters and matches.
• Food – it’s a good idea to bring extra meals, especially when there is bad weather forecast.
• Food storage – a plastic tub, esky or similar is a good idea to keep food safe from wildlife. If you do not bring a storage container, it is best to store food and rubbish within your vehicle.
• Drinking water – or be prepared to treat the water source in the huts.
• Appropriate clothing – the Government Huts are in an alpine region, as such they are prone to extreme weather conditions. Warm, waterproof and windproof clothing is essential.
Keys
Hut doors are self-locking. Leaving keys inside the hut may result in being locked out of your hut.
Weather
The Government Huts are in an alpine region. Weather conditions in Tasmania can change quickly and frequently, especially in alpine areas. Snow, rain, wind and sun are possible at any time of year, and bushfires most commonly occur between October and March. Guests should be well prepared for all potential conditions. Information on gear and pack requirements can be found on the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife website (parks.tas.gov.au).
