Restoration of Lake Pedder, Tasmania

Nov 28, 2010
Kevin Leeson

View of Lake Pedder before flooding - TasPhoto Library, © State of Tasmania

An ongoing campaign to restore unique geomorphological features of Lake Pedder in southwest Tasmania continues almost 40 years later after its flooding.

Amidst much controversy, Lake Pedder, a small freshwater lake in southwest Tasmania, was flooded in 1972 as part of a large hydro-electric development. An ongoing campaign to restore the lake has been supported by the famous environmental campaigner and botanist, David Bellamy and many international organisations such as the David Suzuki Foundation. In 1994, the General Assembly of the IUCN also called for the lake to be restored. A symposium held at the University of Tasmania in 1995 concluded that restoration of the lake is possible, however, current political thought is preventing its realisation.

History

Lake Pedder was formed approximately 1.0 million years ago when glacial outwash blocked the flow of the Serpentine River restricting water flow from the low lying Serpentine Valley and allowing geomorphological processes to form a nine square kilometre lake. Although the lake was quite likely visited by Tasmanian Aboriginal people at least 20 000 years ago, it was named Lake Pedder in 1835 by the surveyor John Wedge after the first Chief Justice of Tasmania, Sir John Pedder. Incidentally, Tasmania was still known as Van Diemens Land in 1835.

Announcement of Flooding

Among the many unique features of Lake Pedder, the most well known was its pink quartzite beach which could safely allow light planes to land. The first plane landed on the three kilometre long beach in 1946. In 1955, the lake and a surrounding area were proclaimed a national park and gazetted as the Lake Pedder National Park. The Tasmanian Government announced in 1967 that a newly announced hydro-electric development would 'result in some modification the the National Park'. However, in 1968, the area was incorporated into the South West National Park.

Despite achieving status as a National Park, the Tasmanian Government at the time continued with its plans to develop the 'Middle Gordon Power Scheme' which would result in the flooding of Lake Pedder. An offer was made from the Australian Commonwealth Government to provide funds for an alternative development which would allow Lake Pedder to be saved. The offer was refused by the Tasmanian Government. Although the proposed flooding of Lake Pedder gained strong national and international opposition, Lake Pedder was flooded as proposed.

The Campaign to Save Lake Pedder

During the campaign to save Lake Pedder, the world's first green political party, the United Tasmania Group (UTG) was formed. From humble beginnings, the UTG was a catalyst for growth of the global environmental movement. It has inspired organisations such as the Tasmanian Wilderness Society (later The Wilderness Society) and the formation of other political parties such as the Tasmanian Greens which eventually became the Australian Greens. Although the United Tasmania Group no longer exists, it retains its place in history as a fundamental part of the Lake Pedder campaign and formation of 'green' political parties.

Future Restoration

An ongoing campaign to restore Lake Pedder through release of flood waters continues. The lake is currently inundated by 15 m of water from the hyrdo-electric development. One organisation, the Lake Pedder Restoration Committee, has maintained momentum for restoration of the lake and in 1993, scientific studies revealed that the unique geomorphological features of Lake Pedder such as the beach, dune system and the channel of the Serpentine River are still intact. This study also revealed that, because of oligotrophic conditions, the features are preserved under just a few millimetres of silt.

It seems quite likely that the few millimetres of silt that have been deposited could be removed after only a few years. It is known that the dune system of the lake is intact and it has been suggested that the slightly acidic conditions of the flood waters have limited decay in vegetation present before the flooding. This would be an important consideration for maintaining stability and reducing soil erosion when the flood waters are released and restoration of the lake is eventually realised.

Further Information and Reading

Angus M (1975). The World of Olegas Truchanus, ACF. ISBN - 0-9589821-0-1.

Brown B (1986). Lake Pedder, The Wilderness Society. ISBN 0-908412-21-5.

Lake Pedder Restoration Committee Website - www.lakepedder.org

Lake Pedder: Values and Restoration. Edited by Chris Sharples. The Proceedings of a Symposium held on 8th April 2005 at the University of Tasmania, Hobart. Occasional Paper No. 27. Centre for Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania.

Southwell L (1983). Mountains of Paradise, Les Southwell Pty Ltd. ISBN 0-9591966-0-9.