Environmental Destruction in Tasmania

---

Wilderness areas in Tasmania are still being destroyed. The Tasmanian Government has a long history of ruining it's own wilderness areas, and it is happening to this day

Hydro Power Dams

There are many many hydro power stations and associated dams in Tasmania. These were mostly built in the 1970's, when the Tasmanian Government thought that Tasmania could become a big industrial state. The hydro dams gave rise to the green movement in Australia, and eventually the fight over the Franklin River dam helped change the course of a federal election and put an end to dam building in Tasmania.

These dams destroyed huge areas of land, killing countless plants and animals, but also caused roads to be built far into wilderness areas which has lead to further development and destruction over time. Some may say that the lanscape is still beautiful even with the lake there, but this is often not true. Many hydro lakes that I saw in Tasmania looked quite horrible, with dead trees rising from the surface of the water, and a large ring of exposed bare earth and rock at their shores.

Logging

The pace of logging in Tasmania is far far higher than I have seen anywhere in Australia or elsewhere. Everywhere you travel in Tasmania, you will see logging trucks. Lots of them. Even in hobart. I sat down at the Hobart Town hall, and only had to wait a few minutes before I saw two logging trucks drive past, and I saw many more just wandering around town. For someone who enjoys wilderness areas, it is somewhat sickening to know that most of these trucks are carrying the remains of trees that are several hundred years old.

Unfortunately, apart from the logging trucks, the Tasmanian Government has become adept at hiding the logging from the public. Many areas have been logged so that a strip of trees is left around public roads, making it appear that there has been no logging. Locked gates abound in areas like this, access is possible, but difficult to obtain, so the generl public are kept out.

The hardwood from these ancient trees is not even being used for fine furniture or the like, it is being chipped to make paper in Japan.

What environmental activists are saying is true. I visited the Mount Field National Park, and the Styx Valley in one day. They look virtually identical, yet one area has special protection and recognition, and the other is being clearfelled, burned and poisoned as fast as is possible with modern machinery.

I visited the Tarkine, and saw areas which were more beautiful than any in Mount Field National park, and were equal to the World Heritage listed Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. The entire Tarkine is scheduled for destruction

If you would like to help prevent this, the following organisations are runnign campagins and need donations:

Greenpeace Australia

The Wilderness Society

WWF Australia

Diary Entries

14/04/2004 - Locked Logging Areas near Southport
19/04/2004 - Logging Trucks and Power Stations between Hobart and Lake St. Clair
02/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 1 - to Wombat Flat
03/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 2 - to Mt. Ramsay
04/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 3 - Mt. Ramsay to Huskisson River
05/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 4 - Camped at Huskisson River
06/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 5 - Across the Huskisson
07/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 6 - Out, then to Strahan
01/06/2004 - Lake Rowallan Dam
03/06/2004 - Great Lake Dam
04/06/2004 - Mt. Field NP and Styx Valley
05/06/2004 - Gunns Triabunna Woodchip Mill