But this time around, the 15-year-old is waking early and heading into the bush to help rebuild Tidbinbilla Hut, which has fallen into disrepair after standing for nearly 100 years in the pine plantation at Pierces Creek.

Cooper is one of six boys involved in the restoration through his links with Canberra-based charity Menslink, which has partnered with the ACT Parks and Conservation Service and Conservation Volunteers Australia to carry out the project.

"I really want to do something in construction," the Alfred Deakin High School student said.

"If I wasn't doing this [during the school holidays], I'd just be sleeping and watching rugby, so it's been good."

Cooper first became involved with Menslink about two years ago through the charity's mentoring program, which pairs young men with male mentors.

Menslink case manager Jordan Brown said projects like the hut restoration were invaluable for the youngsters.

"What it does is provide good life lessons and show the young guys what good, responsible adults look like," Mr Brown said.

"A lot of our young guys haven’t had that growing up because they’ve unfortunately been disadvantaged at school, made some bad life choices, or they haven’t had a male role model."

ACT Parks and Conservation Service ranger Tom Long said the hut, believed to have been built in the 1930s, used to be an outstation for forestry workers at the nearby Laurel Camp.

Over the years, it became a popular camping and picnic area among the few people who knew of its existence, before falling into disrepair not long after the 2003 Canberra bushfires.

"Hopefully now that the hut’s being rebuilt and more people know about it, more people will come out and enjoy it," Mr Long said.

That’s the aim of the project really - to provide another nice area that’s easy to access. Whether you’re setting up for a day in the bush or a day exploring the pine forest, you can use it as a base camp."

Most two-wheel drives would be able to access the site in good weather, he said, while there were plenty of tracks around Pierces Creek for the more adventurous four-wheel drivers to explore.

Conservation Volunteers Australia regional manager Brian Butler-Kemp said volunteers were on track to finish the restoration by the end of next week.

Mr Butler-Kemp said the hut was "a complete ruin" before the project began, with only the frame still standing, giving the volunteers a chance to learn hands-on construction skills while giving back to the environment.

"Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is just down the road, so Pierces Creek doesn’t always get a look in," he said.

"The hut is really useful for showing off the amazing sites around this location."