Wilderness Conservation - A Thousand Cuts
- Anthony Coulson
- Nov 7, 2023
- 12 min read
Updated: Sep 15
Franklin/Gordon Wild Rivers NP Tasmania
Log entry 1....June 2022
Earning the necessary credential to provide logistics and adventures in Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area, we feel a strong connection to the pristine wilderness acknowledging the significance of the place.
We respect the original people of this land and recognize the importance of preserving and protecting the long Aboriginal ancestry, a well known example of such physically evident at nearby Kuti Kina.
Excerpt from Australia and New Zealand school of Government Case study
In 1963 the HEC lobbied the Tasmanian government to approach the Commonwealth for a £2.5 million grant to fund the construction of a road into the wilderness of Lake Pedder National Park. At the time, neither the HEC nor the Government made any public statements regarding a hydro project in the National Park. However, once the road was built, the HEC used it to complete investigations and planning in regard to an idea its engineers had to situate a hydro-electric scheme on the Gordon River by flooding Lake Pedder. With the road completed, the Government revoked the National Park status of the area, quietened opposition to the development and forged ahead.
It all started with the road.
The HEC had been carrying out geologic and survey works for two dams on the Franklin River from as early as 1952. The Mercury newspaper ran a front page article October 18 1955 of the HEC's interest in building these two dams. Attention was diverted when Pedder was flooded but work on the Franklin scheme progressed during the Pedder development. While floodwater began to inundate Pedder's beauty, roadways were dozed into the Franklin River wilderness to the sites where the dams were to be constructed.
In 1976 it released a report on its investigations of this potential which presented two possible ways forward.
The first option was the construction of dams to harness the flows of the lower Gordon River, the Franklin River and the King River to form a single integrated very large hydro-electric impoundment.
A second option was for 4 separate dams, 1 on the upper Gordon River, 1 on the middle Franklin River and 2 on the King River.
In October 1979 the HEC went public with the plan and tabled its 'Report on the Gordon River Power Development Stage Two' in the Tasmanian Parliament which recommended the first of the two options.
The roads were already done.
Protest action gained overwhelming widespread support resulting with the already UNESCO listed world heritage area satisfying a greater extent of criteria to a higher qualitative degree than anywhere else, being declared a national park. The remarkable people who instigated 'The NO DAMS Controversy' locally known as 'The Blockade' ushered in a new era of environmental awareness Australia wide and beyond. Acknowledgement and respect for these people is also imparted to guests at the sites where their various protest and blockade actions are understood to be the beginnings of positive attitudes regarding environment.
Since 2011, we have been striving to preserve the Outstanding Universal Value of TWWHA. However, the encroachment of development has intensified in recent years.
Over 50 reports, including images and videos, have been submitted documenting issues such as littering, tree felling, illegal activities, and campfires. Our efforts to remove litter and weeds have become overwhelming this season.
Despite reporting to government agencies, the incremental development into TWWHA continues, leading to concerns within the conservation community.
Ongoing development activities, such as tree cutting and road widening, have been observed for nearly a decade, with recent years showing an escalation in these detrimental practices.
June 2022... Almost 40 years on from The Blockade, earthmoving machinery will again be within 1Km of the middle Franklin River....Why?
What has been known for decades now as the McCall track was once a single lane roadway constructed by the then HEC for the sole purpose of building the number 2 dam that would flood the middle Franklin River. As noted in the opening excerpt this action would have caused the flooded Franklin to divert via the backed up Andrew River and coalesce with the King River catchment which was also to be flooded. The intention was to create a very large impoundment for hydro-electric power generation in similarity to the flooding of the Serpentine River (Lake Pedder) and Gordon River (Lake Gordon) catchments less than a decade earlier. The excavation of a large canal caused the Huon, Serpentine and Gordon catchments to coalesce into a very large impoundment for the Gordon Power station.
The King River was later flooded during 1991-92 by the construction of two dams, the main Crotty concrete dam and the Darwin dam forming Lake Burbury. The secondary Darwin rockfill dam prevents the flooded King River from draining into the Franklin River via the tributing Andrew River.
The road over Mt McCall, alike all the other roads created for this Hydro development was to be returned to a natural state after the high court ruling. However, lobbying by the river rafting fraternity saw it left for rafting/kayaking expeditions support, geologic and cultural research and adventurous eco sensitive small group visitation.
Left as a basic maintenance cost free 4x4 track necessitated a level of equipment and skill to negotiate requiring an element of intrepidness and adventure. A key to a heavy steel gate we refer to as the last bastion can be obtained from the local PWS offices. Accredited businesses can qualify for the operators license by adhering to extensive protocol and paying the yearly fee, as we have and do, to possess a key. This ensured a management strategy that protects and maintains natural Outstanding Universal Value.
After all, this is the Wild Rivers National Park World Heritage Area! Zero environmental impact is the brief here. Leave no trace!
This 'track', after 40 years of recognition as World Heritage Wilderness has again been developed into a roadway with drains, culverts and guide posts all the way to Propsting Gorge where the HEC operated a haulage to begin work on a diversion tunnel for the construction of what was to be a 200 Metre high dam.....WHY?
Minimal disclosure. No announcement and no consultation. No one is talking.
This is how development works have been getting done for years, no consultation, quickly and quietly, funded by the state. This 'track' has begun to be referred to on maps as 'The Franklin River Road' just as it was back when the HEC intended to build the dams. This development and resultant vehicular activity is easily visible from Frenchmans Cap.
TWWHA just took another cut.
C'mon, we all know what will result from the now imminent increase of vehicles into TWWHA.
What is the motivator?
Is it,
1.... The Tasmanian Governments reckless tourism strategy?
2.... Lobbying by off road vehicle recreation interests?
3.... Another as yet undisclosed EOI?
4.... A new tilt at grand scale Hydro?
I'd stake a wager on numbers 1 and 2.
Number 3 is already a thing with regard to Expression of Interest albeit with full disclosure... It's us! But we are not campaigning for development, infrastructures and roads. No! our desire is the function of expedition logistics and providing a Tourism showcase of this primal area of TWWHA genesis with all care, sensitivity whilst maximising return revenue.
And do not sneer at number 4. It is not as great a stretch as people may think. Most people immediately think of the Gordon below Franklin, otherwise known as the number 1 dam, and yes, it's a ridiculous thought. However, the middle Franklin, otherwise known as the number 2 dam, I'm sure is not as a ridiculous a notion to the majority of Tasmania's two major political parties. As more earthworks and development slowly erode the outstanding universal value of this environment the closer that less than ridiculous notion becomes.....It all starts with a road!
Whatever the motivations, all are questionable. Otherwise the relevant offices would be communicating the underlying intent of earthworks and other developments with all stakeholders and publicly.
Regardless of any intention this is an undisclosed development within TWWHA and be assured there will be an ulterior. Something Reeks!
In any case, this is not in line with maintaining Outstanding Universal Value
Did an impact study get carried out? The Tasmanian Aboriginal Council were not consulted which would confirm that there was no impact appraisal. This is World Heritage of the highest order! A key criteria of which is the proven history of people living as one with the environment here for tens of thousands of years.
What our current government has been stealthily doing south of Queenstown for several years now is not in adherence to World Heritage protocols. A fact which they are undoubtedly aware of as they work covertly for as long as possible before disclosure becomes unavoidable, usually after the act, and even then it's minimal and coated. When questioned they are cagey and if further pressed become dismissive with flawed reasoning at the basis of their responses. Flags have been waved and almost completely ignored for quite some time now.
Action is required.
If you have read this far I'm sure you too will be of the opinion that there is no wilderness more sacred.
Whilst political and protest movements we would expect to oppose such development in TWWHA have seemingly lost focus, no one (except us it seems) is watching the rear view mirror. Developments are being carried out in a Tasmanian National Park that was entered on the World Heritage List in 1982 amid that time of profound change we still refer to today as The Blockade.
June 2022, roadworks have already been done.
If these developments are not exposed and addressed let us all re-examine the situation at a later date for a good old session of 'Told You So.'
Pay attention, question these sinister undisclosed actions and ensure Outstanding Universal Value is maintained. Up to this point we have only managed to be an easily silenced squeak trying to lobby political awareness and unite the broader Franklin River fraternity and conservation organisations.
Tasmania has even managed to fudge the maintenance reporting requirement https://whc.unesco.org/en/118/
Keep Tassie Wild.
Let It Be.
Anthony Coulson
Franklin/Gordon Wild Rivers NP Tasmania
Log entry 2....June 2023 : Wilderness Conservation values impacted
One year on and earlier than expected the time has come for that aforementioned session of
'Told You So.'
Development works in TWWHA have increased with 4 machines working this June.
The road redevelopment is the focus of last year's entry so to follow up as briefly as possible yet bring exposure to the broader range of developments simply blogging the below outgoing email text with a series of images and short videos will do just that. (I've carefully left out the message recipients)
McCall/Franklin
RoamWild Tasmania <info@roamwild.com.au>Sat, Apr 29, 12:39 PM (3 days ago)
Hi Xxx
Keeping you informed.
We got a call from the local rangers office this morning. Machines are headed into the Wild Rivers WHA again to carry out more roadworks... on Monday!
I asked some questions, from which all I could glean was that it's an almost no notice PWS regional office directive and the leatherwood honey industry are again doing it.
We have very little time but will endeavour to get a trail camera positioned tomorrow if they haven't already closed access, which is likely.
We have been told not to go there whilst it happens and that access will be blocked at the Crotty river bridge just south of the Darwin dam this year.
Other things you must all be made aware of...
Hydro Tas, PWS, we just don't know, have refurbished a hut at Fincham and installed a helipad beside the River. Hydro Tas have installed another monitoring station over the Andrew River behind the Darwin dam and recently extended the mains power transmission network over Mt Jukes to the Crotty dam. (See attached images)
Regards :
Anthony
--
That's the email sent out and a number of calls were made as well but any awareness of what is truly happening has not effectively had any impact. Works get carried out regardless.
We have earlier gained permission from PWS regional office to hold an event over July 1 weekend to commemorate the high court decision 40 years on. With much irony, The Paragon theatre Queenstown will host an expose' of memorabilia and presentations from that remarkable time bringing many people involved in the G-Day campaign back together to repaint the mighty symbol of successful protest action at the Mt McCutcheon site to mark the occasion. But now someone else from PWS are telling us that we are not permitted to use the road, (Yes, it's classed as a road now), maybe until November!
None of this series of works are necessary nor desired which raises many questions as to how and why this can ever occur in TWWHA without disclosure and consultation.
Machines moving earth in TWWHA must raise questions!
I grimace as I sit here in front of the TV typing this log entry : Charles Wooley and Bob just appeared on channel 7 campaigning for protection of a tract of Tasmanian Rainforest north of here from being inundated with mine process waste. I don't believe anyone really wants to see that happen but yet the Franklin River, the very epitome of Tasmania's wilderness has been subject to earthmoving machinery authorised and funded by the state over the last 10 years covertly re-established a road from the Darwin dam of the 1992 King River hydropower scheme to the once proposed middle Franklin dam site.
This has been achieved by contracting the apiarist collecting leatherwood nectar from the pristine rainforests each year. Apiarists who are annually bestowed with a golden opportunity to scope out work for themselves developing roads and apiary sites to further bolster their bottom line. Anyone who dares question any of it is met with bullish confrontation from the leatherwood Honey industry while PWS pass it all off as maintenance. It is also very difficult to question or object when most often there is barely any notice of intended development works, if any, and no one is permitted to go there whilst earth moving machinery is working?
This is far above any level of maintenance that in any event, no stakeholders, except the incentivised apiarists, have requested or desire.
At this point in time we have been told we are not permitted to travel on what is now a developed road into TWWHA to the River so I will just have to walk in and out. It's a long remote walk by any standards that will allow plenty of time to collect more images and video in addition to what we hope the one remote camera we did manage to set mere hours before access was blocked may have recorded. When that occurs you will be able to see it here. Stay tuned.
Anthony Coulson
Franklin/Gordon Wild Rivers NP Tasmania
Log entry 3.... Fri Nov 3 2023
I did not get an opportunity to walk in and get the camera. Unanswered calls and voice messages left with the local PWS Rangers office just left us feeling ostracized for a three month period until we received an email message informing us that we could start operating in the space again. I can retrieve the remote camera.
This is some of the video it captured from the River gorge side of Mt McCall. This is just one of multiple machines working for a considerable amount of time. Note the truck bringing in foreign material.
From this short capture it is clear that standard SUV's can now drive to the middle Franklin.
The Wild Rivers NP of TWWHA just became much less wild.
Anthony Coulson - RoamWild Tasmania Logistics
Franklin/Gordon Wild Rivers NP Tasmania
Log entry 4.... Mon Aug 12 2024
Another development. Hydro Tasmania have installed more monitoring devices, this time on the Gordon River. The obvious question is where and there are no points on offer to be won for guessing correctly.
This device has been installed near the site of the proposed Gordon below Franklin dam diversion tunnel works that had commenced before the high court decision.
I'm not sure why Hydro Tasmania installed another device and revisited the diversion tunnel and I don't think it cause for much concern but noteworthy nonetheless.
What is cause for concern is the fact that the mostly unchecked vehicles driving in and out of TWWHA south of Queenstown can now easily obtain the means to do so from multiple PWS office locations with very little qualitative process. Even just all wheel drive SUVs can be observed driving into the area and now a car park and a trail formation onto Mt McCall has been proposed in a Tasmanian 4x4 tourism plan which gained impetus from lobbying by 4x4 interest groups. Gates and fencing have been installed at the Mt McCutcheon site and the road is now published as an off road activity the PWS website.
Government agencies have since confirmed consultation and correspondence with Tasmanian and national recreational 4x4 touring interests. Tasmania is publicly funding developments in TWWHA for the segment of Tasmania's visitor economy that will care little and spend the least whilst costing us all the most. Now that this demographic is able to drive in and out of this area, NBT accredited operators paying license fees for the privilege of working to a regulated standard, adhering protocols, operating businesses with commercial reality providing employment opportunities and all the while maintaining Outstanding Universal Value is just going out of business while bearing witness to TWWHA being degraded and cheapened.
Everything about this is counterintuitive to maintaining Outstanding Universal Value and compliance with The World Heritage Convention
AC
Queenstown Tasmania
Never trust the HEC. Scoping out the Franklin, Olga, Gordon etc for dam sites since the late 1940s. If they'd gotten their own way we would have the Gordon below Franklin, Gordon above Olga, and the middle Franklin (Franklin below Andrew?) in addition to Gordon and Pedder all 'gracing' the SW. At least the Darwin Dam would have been a wasted effort.