Tasmanian Wilderness Society

Tasmanian Wilderness Society was an Australian environmental organization active in Tasmania from the mid-1970s through the 1980s that campaigned to protect wilderness areas, World Heritage sites, and native forests. It became notable for high-profile campaigns involving hydroelectric dams, logging, and heritage listings, engaging with political figures, conservation groups, and legal processes to influence outcomes. The Society played a central role in debates around the Franklin River, Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, and national conservation policy.

History

The organization emerged in the context of postwar conservation debates involving figures and institutions such as Bob Brown, Gordon Franklin, Franklin River, and the Hydro-Electric Commission (Tasmania), responding to proposals associated with projects like the Gordon-below-Franklin Dam and schemes promoted by the Australian Labor Party and state administrations in Tasmania. Early activists had connections with groups including the Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Tasmania, Wilderness Society (Australia), and international networks linked to the World Wildlife Fund and Friends of the Earth. The Society's campaigns intersected with legal and political events such as the intervention by the High Court of Australia in disputes that involved the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Tasmania over environmental protection and federal powers. Key historical moments included alliances with personalities from the conservation movement like Olegas Truchanas, debates involving the Tasmanian Legislative Council, and interactions with institutions such as the Australian Heritage Commission and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization regarding World Heritage Site nominations.

Campaigns and Activities

Major campaigns included opposition to dam proposals on rivers like the Gordon River and the Franklin River, direct actions comparable to blockades in movements such as those seen in WA's South West Blockade and civil disobedience inspired by international movements including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth International. The Society coordinated with legal advocates who used instruments associated with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 precedents, and engaged politicians across parties including members of the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia, and the Australian Democrats to seek statutory protection. Campaign tactics ranged from public rallies and media campaigns in outlets like the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and the The Australian newspaper to scientific submissions referencing work by researchers from institutions like the University of Tasmania and the Australian National University. Activism addressed logging in regions such as the South West Tasmania wilderness, interactions with timber companies like Australian Newsprint Mills and state agencies including the Forestry Commission of Tasmania, and advocacy for listings on registers administered by bodies such as UNESCO and the Australian Heritage Council.

Organization and Structure

The Society was structured with local branches in Tasmanian communities including Hobart, Launceston, and regional centers near areas like Strahan and Queenstown, and worked with national bodies such as the Wilderness Society (Australia) and the Australian Conservation Foundation. Leadership included prominent activists who later engaged in parliamentary roles or national advocacy through organizations like the Greens, and collaborated with legal counsel associated with cases decided by the High Court of Australia and advisers conversant with Commonwealth statutes. Funding and resourcing came from membership subscriptions, donations from supporters linked to personalities and institutions such as Bob Brown Foundation donors, and partnerships with environmental funders including philanthropic trusts and community organizations like Friends of the Earth (Australia). Governance followed not-for-profit practices comparable to those used by groups such as the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia and coordinated volunteer networks similar to campus-based groups at the University of Tasmania.

Impact and Legacy

The Society contributed to outcomes including the successful World Heritage listing of extensive Tasmanian landscapes administered under UNESCO conventions and bolstered legal precedents that influenced federal-state relations, echoing decisions of the High Court of Australia and actions by the Commonwealth of Australia to intervene in environmental protection. Its campaigns helped catalyze political shifts contributing to the rise of the Australian Greens and the national profile of conservation figures like Bob Brown. Environmental policy dialogues influenced institutions such as the Australian Heritage Commission, and conservation strategies practiced by later organizations like Environment Tasmania and The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) drew on its methods. The Society's legacy persists in protected areas across South West Tasmania, visitor interpretation at sites near Cradle Mountain and heritage recognition connected to figures like Olegas Truchanas.

Controversies and Criticisms

Critics included timber-industry organizations, some elected members of the Tasmanian Parliament, and commentators in media outlets including The Mercury (Hobart), who argued that campaigns harmed regional development and employment tied to firms such as Gunns Limited and state agencies like the Forestry Tasmania (formerly the Forestry Commission). Tensions arose over tactics—direct action and lobbying—mirroring debates seen in controversies involving groups like Greenpeace and sparking legal disputes ultimately considered in forums like the High Court of Australia and political contests within parties such as the Australian Labor Party. Internal debates over strategy influenced later splits and realignments in Australian environmental politics, reflected in the institutional evolution of bodies including the Wilderness Society (Australia) and the emergence of parliamentary environmental representation in the form of the Australian Greens.

Category:Environment of Tasmania Category:Conservation in Australia