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| Gordon-below-Franklin hydroelectric schemes | |
|---|---|
| Name | Gordon-below-Franklin hydroelectric schemes |
| Location | Franklin River, Tasmania, Australia |
| Status | Proposed (historical) |
| Proposed by | Hydro-Electric Commission (Tasmania) |
| Proposed year | 1970s–1980s |
| Purpose | Hydroelectric power generation, irrigation |
| Dam type | Proposals included concrete gravity and rockfill |
| River | Gordon River, Franklin River |
Gordon-below-Franklin hydroelectric schemes were a series of proposed hydroelectric developments on the lower reaches of the Gordon River and the Franklin River in western Tasmania during the 1970s and early 1980s. The proposals became focal points for controversy involving conservation groups, political parties, judicial processes, and international attention, intersecting with campaigns by environmentalists, parliamentary actors, and media outlets. The schemes are notable for their role in shaping Australian environmental law, heritage protection, and energy policy debates.
The project area lay within the Tasmanian Wilderness region adjacent to the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers, flowing from the Central Highlands to Macquarie Harbour, near Strahan, Tasmania, Gordon River (Tasmania), and Franklin River (Tasmania). The catchment encompassed terrain in the vicinity of Mount Field National Park, the West Coast Range, and drainage systems feeding into Macquarie Harbour. Historically the area had been mapped by explorers such as John Lort Stokes and George Bass and surveyed during early colonial resource assessments including works by the Colonial Secretary's Office (Van Diemen's Land). The region fell within the jurisdiction of Tasmanian institutions like the Hydro-Electric Commission (Tasmania) and attracted scientific attention from bodies such as the Australian National University and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
Design studies were advanced by the Hydro-Electric Commission (Tasmania) and engineering consultancies with input from specialists associated with Monash University, University of Melbourne, and overseas firms influenced by dam projects such as the Hoover Dam and Aswan High Dam. Conceptual plans examined concrete gravity dams, rockfill embankments, and diversion tunnels to create head for turbines supplied through penstocks feeding Francis turbine installations typical of mid-20th-century hydroelectric schemes. Technical reports referenced hydrological data from the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia), seismic assessments following precedents from Geoscience Australia, and transmission proposals connecting to the Basslink-era network concept and the Tasmanian grid managed by the Australian Energy Market Operator. Engineering logistics considered access via roads linked to Strahan, Tasmania and staged construction drawing upon heavy equipment practices documented by the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Engineers Australia code.
Environmental assessments highlighted potential impacts on wilderness values recognized by organizations such as the Australian Conservation Foundation, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Proposed inundation zones threatened riparian habitat for endemic species documented by researchers at the University of Tasmania, including riverine assemblages studied in association with the Royal Society of Tasmania and botanical surveys comparable to collections in the Tasmanian Herbarium. Concerns included alteration of flow regimes affecting fish species monitored by the Australian Society for Fish Biology, sedimentation patterns informed by studies from the CSIRO, and impacts on karst and limestone features described in literature from the Geological Society of Australia. Cultural heritage risks to sites of significance to Aboriginal groups, together with effects on tourism assets highlighted by the Australian Tourism Commission, compounded conservationist objections.
Proponents argued for benefits aligned with industrial development policies of Tasmanian political actors such as the Tasmanian Labor Party and elements of the Liberal Party of Australia in Tasmania, citing potential employment, electricity supply to mines and smelting operations like those historically associated with the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company, and regional economic stimulus for towns including Strahan, Tasmania and Queenstown, Tasmania. Opponents, including Indigenous representatives connected to Tasmanian Aboriginal organisations and advocates documented in submissions to the Australian Human Rights Commission, raised issues of native title, cultural heritage, and the rights of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and other custodial groups. Social impact assessments cited by community groups invoked precedents from resource disputes such as those involving the Gunns Limited controversies and timber conflicts centered on the Tasmanian Wilderness Society campaigns.
The schemes became entangled in national politics, provoking ministerial decisions at the level of the Parliament of Australia and judicial review in courts including the High Court of Australia and administrative adjudication linked to the Australian Heritage Commission. High-profile interventions involved figures from the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia, and independent parliamentarians, while conservation mobilization was coordinated by entities such as the Tasmanian Wilderness Society, the Australian Conservation Foundation, and international NGOs including Greenpeace. Litigation and legislative responses referenced environmental protection instruments that later informed listings on the World Heritage List administered by UNESCO. Media coverage across outlets like the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Age, and The Sydney Morning Herald amplified public debate and electoral consequences.
Ultimately the Gordon-below-Franklin proposals were halted amid political intervention, court actions, and widespread campaigning, contributing to outcomes such as the protection measures for the Franklin-Gordon area and the broader Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage nominations. The episode influenced Australian environmental jurisprudence, institutional reforms in bodies like the Australian Heritage Commission, and energy policy discussions within the Commonwealth of Australia. Legacies include strengthened networks among conservation NGOs exemplified by the Tasmanian Wilderness Society and long-term research agendas pursued by universities and agencies including the CSIRO and the University of Tasmania. The controversies also informed later debates around renewable energy infrastructure, balancing heritage listings, and regional development strategies debated in forums such as the National Press Club (Australia) and parliamentary inquiries. Category:Hydroelectric power stations in Tasmania