The Black House was originally a hunters hut but later may have been used by a caretaker for the water catchment area at Skerretts Creek.
The Black House was a hut located in the bush above Sunny Grove. It contained bunks and a kitchen, with a long-drop toilet situated outside. Local residents who grew up in Sunny Grove referred to it as the Black House because of the dark colour of its exterior cladding.
According to local sources, it was originally a hunter’s hut and predated the development of Sunny Grove. It may also have served for a time as a ranger’s or caretaker’s hut associated with the nearby Skerretts Creek water catchment. One oral account states that a ranger was stationed there to prevent people from entering the catchment and either lived or worked at the site.
Remnants of a barbed-wire fence can still be found further up the creek, supporting the possibility that the area was once restricted. Rangers were also stationed within the Reservoir Valley water catchment because of concerns that trespassers could introduce typhoid into Wellington’s water supply. It is therefore possible that a ranger was similarly responsible for protecting the Skerretts Creek catchment. Part of the fence was still standing during the 1970s, although people could enter through a large opening.
The Black House was severely damaged by fire during the mid-1970s and was subsequently abandoned. The fire reportedly began when kerosene was spilt from a lamp. A young child was rescued by a local resident who noticed smoke rising from the bush and made their way to the hut.
The site is difficult to locate today because the track leading to it has become overgrown. However, numerous remains are still scattered around the area, including bricks, rusted tins, bottles, plates, cutlery, potassium chloride containers and poison-pellet canisters. A discarded kerosene lamp also remains at the site and may even be the lamp connected with the fire. The location of the former long-drop toilet can still be identified several metres uphill from the main hut site.
There is no confirmed record of when the Black House was constructed. It may have been transported to the site, as many surplus military huts were sold after the Second World War and relocated for use elsewhere, including around Wainuiomata.
