Bonzer Words!: Lament For Lake Pedder
Wendy Ogbourne mourns the loss of a beautiful lake in Tasmania.
In 1972 Lake Pedder in Tasmania was flooded. For those of us who remember it before that date, it remains one of the greatest of environmental tragedies, and we continue to mourn.
Where is Lake Pedder?
In the South West wilderness of Australia's smallest state, Tasmania, a tiny island off the south eastern tip of the mainland. Tasmania is so small and insignificant, it is often left off maps of Australia, much to the annoyance of its inhabitants. We who have lived there know it to be a place of great beauty, containing some of the last wild places, rivers and rainforest on earth.
Why was Lake Pedder flooded?
The State government of the day was intent on the production of hydro-electricity, seen to be a clean green alternative to coal, but which meant the construction of huge dams and the flooding of vast areas of uninhabited scrub for the catchment. Unfortunately the construction of the Gordon River Power Development also meant the destruction of a unique glacial lake hidden in the high country called Lake Pedder.
What was so special about Lake Pedder?
The Southwest of Tasmania was declared a National Park in 1968 and had become a focus for conservationists and bushwalkers. Lake Pedder was accessible only to hikers by means of a walking track about 20 kms from the nearest road. There were no sealed or unsealed roads and no vehicles. It was surrounded by mountain peaks, with an amazing pinky-white quartz sand beach nearly 1 km in length along one side. Its beauty was breathtaking, appearing suddenly as you scaled the final rise. Light aircraft, 2- or 4-seaters took joy-flights for tourists unwilling to attempt the walk, and landed on the beach for a couple of hours, if the weather permitted. No larger planes were allowed, as there was no proper landing strip. Conservationists maintained that the lake was home to 17 endemic species of animals and plants found nowhere else.
So what's there now?
Today Lake Pedder and many more thousands of square kilometres of land lie beneath 50 ft of water forming the greater Lake Gordon. This new lake has beauty of its own, and is a spectacular sight. It is now accessible to many more tourists and sightseers than ever found their way there before. The Hydro-Electric Commission has landscaped the surroundings, and built many access roads and public viewing spots, with picnic areas and recreation facilities. Boating on the lake is allowed and it has been stocked with trout for recreational fishermen. The lake provides water for many of the population centres and industries of Tasmania.
Why were conservation groups not able to stop the project?
The conservation movement in 1972 was in its infancy in Australia. Although they fought hard and valiantly to oppose the construction of the dam, they were unable to prevent it going through. In 1979, stage 2 of the plan was proposed, which would have flooded a second area, including the Franklin River. By then The Greens political party, headed by Bob Brown, had been formed. Together with worldwide conservation organisations, the legislation was successfully challenged in the High Court and the Franklin was saved. The whole area has now been declared World Heritage and can never be vandalised again in the future.
Would it not be possible to drain the new Lake Gordon and bring back Lake Pedder as it was?
In 2000 there was a move to do just that. It was supported by such well-known international figures as David Bellamy and David Suzuki through the IUCN (the International Union for the Conservation of Nature). However the cost of such a project would be enormous and there is no certainty that the result would be successful. The state government referred to the move as 'an impossible dream'.
Sadly we have to accept that some things, once done cannot be undone. I consider myself privileged to have made the trek and once seen Lake Pedder in all its glory. I hope the world will not lose too many other irreplaceable natural places, in its headlong rush towards progress.
© Wendy Ogbourne
Wendy writes for Bonzer! magazine. Please vist
www.bonzer.org.au
