Jans Hut, also known as Staggs Hut is located at Mt Baw Baw on the eastern side. The hut is only reachable after a several km walk across difficult terrain from Mt Erica carpark or Thomson Valley Road, and therefore has a become bit of reputation with bushwalkers as a challenge destination.

The Rawson family owned this lease from 1874 until 1913, after which Fred "Curly" Jans took it over. Hec Stagg then took up this and a larger lease after that in 1958.

# George Rawson built the first hut near this area at Mustering Flat for grazing following his purchase of the lease in 1874, The second hut was built before 1907. Rawsons son Charlie took over, and his grandson, Harry Jnr visited. The first hut was demolished by a storm in 1938.

# Fred Jans took over the Alpine Grazing Lease in 1913, moving cattle between his 777 acre property at Traralgon West and the high country for grazing.

Jans hut was built by Johan Jans and his son Frederick about 1922, Fred carried the iron up onto the mountain by packhorse to build the hut.

Jans Hut was burnt to the ground in the 1939 wild fires, Fred had 611 head of cattle on the Plateau when the fires hit and only 8 survived. Fred Jans rebuilt the hut later that same year, finishing it in the summer of 1940. This is the same hut still standing today.

# Hec Stagg took up a lease for grazing in 1958, of 60,000 acres on the snow plain at Mt Baw Baw. Over the years the huts fireplace and chimney needed a lot of patch ups and repair, but this little hut was like a palace to these cattlemen on a cold weary night. The hut is hidden away so well that they could leave it fully stocked with food supplies and guns till they returned, only having to evict the persistent bush rats that could manage to open a metal can of food.

In 1962, an area of 7000 acres of that above the snow line, was set aside as a resort, inclluding Mt St Phillack, Mustering Flat and Mt Whitelaw. In 1964 Mt Erica was added and in 1969 the NPA proposed the area as a National Park.

In 1978, the last grazing lease was withdrawn, but a few of Hec Stagg's cattle remained hidden in the bush.

This hut is unusual for the fact it has the inside walls lined with timber on two sides, probably as insulation from the cold and that it is located amongst Myrtle Beech trees rather than snow gums

In 2011 The Victorian High Country Huts Association took a working bee party into Jans Hut to rebuild the fireplace and chimney and do restoration work on the rest of the hut

The hut was badly damaged when a tree fell on it in June 2021. DELWP engaged a contractor to repair it in March 2022, and it is as good as it was before.

UPDATE, according to Wendy Jans, correspondence received in October 2018.

I was (one of) Bluey Jans’ daughter, Bluey (Norm) was Curly Jans’ nephew…Bluey went to live with Curley when his mother died and he rode the Mount with Curley from the age of 9. Curly never had a son and Bluey took over the lease when Curly became ill from cancer, he also rebuilt Jans Hut which had burned in the 39 fires – the Stagg’s jumped the lease in ‘58. True, Hec and Dad became the closest of friends and they rode the Mount and mustered together til the leases were lost due the Thompson.

PLEASE NOTE : The history has been obtained from various sources. Exact dates and events may not be entirely accurate. If you have any further information please contact us at secretary@hutsvictoria.org.au or send a message on this Facebook page.