MT TERRIBLE HUT and fire lookout tower date back to 1962 when they were built to replace the Jamieson lookout tower. Built as accommodation for CFA and DSE fire watching crews during the summer months, Mt Terrible Hut was 12ft x 12ft, built with a sawn hard wood timber frame, weather boards and a galvanised iron roof. The hut sat on a cleared mountain top below the fire tower, both sharing amazing views over the high country.

By 2008 the Hut was in a terrible state of disrepair and was about to be bulldozed by DSE. The VHCHA took on a caretaker role and did quite a bit of work on the with help at the big working bee coming from the guys from the AULRO Forum ( Land Rover Owners Australia ). In 2009 they replaced one entire wall, fixed the fireplace and repaired / painted all the walls. In October 2009 two veteran firewatchers from Mt Terrible – David Horne and Craig Robertson – joined a group from the Victorian High Country Huts Association for a memorable night on the mountain. The weather was excellent, the views as fabulous as ever, and the dear old hut was in as good a condition as it ever was, thanks to the efforts of the VHCHA who had been working hard to restore many huts throughout the high country.

The hut was vandalised again over the long weekend early 2012. The veranda posts were pulled out and this collapsed the veranda roof. The Association and the members of the Yarra Valley 4WD Club who had all worked on this hut were very disappointed. So once again the Victorian High Country Huts Assoc. and Yarra Valley 4×4 club went up to repair the hut, 4 new poles were put in at the front, the veranda was fixed and all the remaining cement sheeting was pulled off the walls inside.

Unfortunately, the old hut burned completely down in Dec 2012. Allegedly, people were staying in the hut and a log rolled out of the fire place and set the hut alight.

The site lay barren for a few years until an initiative between Forest Fire Management (DELWP) Alexandra, Victorian High Country Huts Association, the A4-4 Mt Torbrek Memorial Restoration Team, saw the hut rebuilt to be ready by Christmas 2016. VicForests, Local Community Groups, ARB Somerton, Feast & Watson Timber Finish Products and Cindy McLeish MP also supported the project by provided funding and materials. The new hut is soundly built to all required standards and includes a pot belly stove made from old truck brake drums. The site also includes a new fireplace and outdoor seating ot admire the great views.