Historic Horse Flat Hut
Management
Clarence Reserve, South Marlborough Area Office, Nelson/Marlborough Conservancy, Department of Conservation.
Fabric
A small 3.5 metre by 2.5 metre hut of corrugated iron over skilfully constructed split Willow/Poplar framing. It has an earth floor. Bunks are also framed from split timber. The hut sits on wooden piles and its exterior is painted in red oxide. It's chimney has gone and the hole was recently closed off with corrugated iron. There is a single window in the north wall and the tongue and groove door at the eastern end.
Situated amongst old willows on a lower river terrace at Horse Flat 4 or 5 kilometres down the Clarence River from the main station buildings at Quail Flat. The site is undeveloped and appears to have no features associated with the hut.
History
Little is known of the hut's date of building. However it has the weathered initials "SD" and the date 1909 carved in the door. It is described by old musterers as having been a rabbiters' hut. Historic themes are pastoralism and farming.
Horse Flat Hut (built 1909)
Fabric significance
Outwardly a standard corrugated iron farm hut. It is the carefully crafted internal framing of split willow or poplar that make this building technologically unusual. It is otherwise very representative of its type.
Historic significance
Despite little being known of its history, its age and relationship to the other old Clarence Reserve huts make it of regional significance.
Future management
Conserved historic hut.