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Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Fri 15 May, 2015 9:39 pm
by Overlandman
There are a couple of posts in the Cradle Mountain Snow reports about Scott & Kilvert as well.

From ABC News

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-15/b ... ection=tas

Hundreds of people have turned out at a Tasmanian high school to remember a student and a teacher who died during a bushwalking trip 50 years ago.

David Kilvert, who was 13, and his teacher Ewen Scott died in 1965.

They were part of a school bushwalking group from Riverside High School that got caught out in an unexpected blizzard in the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park.

According to the Search and Rescue team David Kilvert had fallen and injured himself and died despite the best efforts of Ewen Scott to shelter him.

Scott was found just 200 metres from a shed where part of his group were sheltering.
Today family and friends of the pair gathered for a special anniversary in their honour.

Former student Mark Whittle was on the trek half a century ago.

"I remember the whole trip very vividly, from the start to the very end and I guess the events from the last day I can remember very clearly what happened," he said.

"We encountered freezing, blizzard-like conditions with gusty wind picking up the fallen snow and driving it into our faces.

"Particularly I can remember the time that Ewen Scott, the teacher, said to two of the boys one of whom was me, that he would look after David and insisted that we continue on with the others."
Tragedy still 'resonates' with the school

Mr Whittle said he was moved that the school would hold a service to remember the event that had such a profound impact on his life.

"The impacts on those people who were on the walk and the families, people back then didn't receive counselling," he said.

"A lot of people have carried a lot of memories and a lot of feelings and emotions which they haven't been able to express."

Riverside High School principal Greg Morgan said it was important for the school to pay tribute.
It touched the lives of the school community incredibly deeply at the time and that impact has resonated through those decades," he said.

"The principal at the time, KJ Walker, said this event will live forever in the culture and the history of the school and they were very prophetic words."

David Kilvert's sister, Daphne Longman, said her brother was a bright and intelligent boy with a big future.

"So that was what was very sad, to lose somebody who you wondered what future he would've had," she said.

"Of course he would've been almost 65 now.

"We don't need a special place, Cradle Mountain's our memory of him and all the family have tried to make yearly excursions up there ... and a little nip of whisky, a drink to David."

A group has planned a trek back to Cradle Mountain this weekend to the hut built as a memorial shortly after the tragedy.

There are now plans to make a permanent memorial at the school.

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Fri 15 May, 2015 10:00 pm
by corvus
A timely reminder that this Mountain area (like most ) can be unforgiving at any time ,having experienced Snow up there one January I always pack for the unexpected and other than snow shoes and my Winter weight Down Jacket my pack weight is the same for all seasons in Tasmania .

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Sat 16 May, 2015 12:52 pm
by South_Aussie_Hiker
I guess the distance doesn't make it any less tragic, but being found only 200m from where the rest of the group camped - terrible.

In addition to Nuts' comments, carrying a shelter despite huts is just a necessity. Break your leg halfway between huts without a tent at any time of year is a potential fatality.

I watched a video of a solo trip to Frenchman's on YouTube in some pretty foul weather.

Only way I'd do that solo in winter would be with two COMPLETE sets of clothes, a fast pitch tent, an EPIRB ... AND a sat phone.

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Sat 16 May, 2015 6:20 pm
by north-north-west
Meh, it's a good track. As long as you kept an eye on the weather (and the helicopters) you'd be fine. I'm looking at a winter trip in there at the moment.

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Sat 16 May, 2015 7:04 pm
by DanShell
north-north-west wrote:Meh, it's a good track. As long as you kept an eye on the weather (and the helicopters) you'd be fine. I'm looking at a winter trip in there at the moment.


Me too! Its difficult for me to fathom such a tragedy these days but I guess appalling conditions along with a medical condition and perhaps a little unprepared can result in this even today in that area.

I'm keen for some snow and personal boundary pushing this winter so I hope I don't extend my knowledge on preparedness!

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Sat 16 May, 2015 7:29 pm
by Scottyk
DanShell wrote:
north-north-west wrote:Meh, it's a good track. As long as you kept an eye on the weather (and the helicopters) you'd be fine. I'm looking at a winter trip in there at the moment.


Me too! Its difficult for me to fathom such a tragedy these days but I guess appalling conditions along with a medical condition and perhaps a little unprepared can result in this even today in that area.

I'm keen for some snow and personal boundary pushing this winter so I hope I don't extend my knowledge on preparedness!

I think it is reminds us not to underestimate this area. If the forecast looked a bit dodgy there is no way I would take a group of kids to Rodway and back, but at the time of this tragedy I think the forecasting would have been less exact.
I stayed at hut recently and the story of the tragedy is there for everyone to read at the hut, sobering reading.

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Sat 16 May, 2015 7:47 pm
by corvus
The Strollers had a fantastic Christmas in July a couple of years back and without Snow Shoes we would not have made it into WFV and would have struggled exiting via Scott Kilvert next day :)
I think there may be some photos of that trip on here ?

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Sat 16 May, 2015 8:01 pm
by DanShell
corvus wrote:The Strollers had a fantastic Christmas in July a couple of years back and without Snow Shoes we would not have made it into WFV and would have struggled exiting via Scott Kilvert next day :)
I think there may be some photos of that trip on here ?


I think I've seen the video....of the entertainment inside the hut ;)

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Sun 17 May, 2015 12:16 am
by tas-man
Today's story from the Advocate - http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/308 ... forgotten/

There will be a commemoration of this tragedy at the Dove Lake Carpark on Sunday 17th 20th at 2.00pm with an afternoon tea hosted by Parks at the Interpretation centre from 3pm where the LWC documentary about the building of the Scott-Kilvert Memorial Hut at Lake Rodway will be screened.

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Sun 17 May, 2015 12:22 am
by tas-man
Also last weekends Sunday Examiner covered the 50th anniversary of the tragedy with photos here - http://www.examiner.com.au/story/306801 ... /#slide=15
and here - http://www.examiner.com.au/story/308338 ... ved/?cs=95

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Sat 30 May, 2015 10:14 pm
by scockburn
You never cease to amaze me with your collection of historical knowledge and sources of info !

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Mon 22 Jun, 2015 6:58 pm
by kanangra
Gee that is a desperately sad story. People's lives affected forever.

k.

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Wed 05 Aug, 2015 2:44 pm
by tas-man
I was cleaning out some files from my computer and though this Examiner article from January 2015 might be worth archiving in this thread for future reference.
Rodway Article Pg. 1.jpg

Rodway Article Pg. 2.jpg

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Wed 05 Aug, 2015 3:07 pm
by aloftas
yea, I was up there a few weeks ago and it was a sobering reminder of how fickle and unforgiving the alpine regions can be. Was hit with an overwhelming sadness, and a respect for the place, and a sense of loss, and true courage shown by the teacher. I am not ashamed to admit I teared up and was left somewhat subdued after seeing the display.
Don't go out underprepared guys.

Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Wed 05 Aug, 2015 3:20 pm
by tas-man
Here is an article about the design of the Scott-Kilvert Hut published in the Launceston Walking Club's Skyline Magazine No. 15, November 1965.
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Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Wed 05 Aug, 2015 3:25 pm
by tas-man
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Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Wed 05 Aug, 2015 3:41 pm
by tas-man
This article about the 50th Anniversary of the Scott-Kilvert tragedy was published in the Launceston Examiner on 10th May 2015.
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Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Wed 05 Aug, 2015 4:07 pm
by tas-man
Here are some photos of the memorial events that took place at Cradle Mountain on Sunday 17th May 2015. A commemoration was held in the Dove Lake carpark with several speakers talking about their experiences and memories of the tragedy in 1965. One of the speakers was Riverside High School teacher John Chick, who was leading the group, assisted by student teacher Ewan Scott who perished trying to save student David Kilvert.
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Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Wed 05 Aug, 2015 4:10 pm
by tas-man
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Re: Scott Kilvert 50 Years On

PostPosted: Wed 05 Aug, 2015 4:12 pm
by tas-man
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