The mining companies’ thirst for cheap power led to the
development of large hydroelectric projects. 2000 year old Huon pines were
harvested and then rain forest valleys were flooded. The way the story is told its like they
wanted a medal for cutting down these rare and valuable trees instead of just
drowning them. Not quite so fast…they
wanted the timber money for these trees.
Today a slab of huon 12 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 2 inches thick
fetches $2500.
The insatiable desire for more hydro lead them in to valley
after valley. Then it stopped. Public outcry rose up, protests were held,
1500 people were arrested, and in 1983 the High Court ruled 4-3 to stop the
project. Because of that vote, we can
show you these pictures, taking from the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers World Heritage site;
one of the last remaining temperate rain forests in the southern hemisphere,
and still home to isolated stands of huon.
From here we climbed the ‘continental divide” of Tasmania
and the weather gods were with us, allowing these incredible vistas.
Then on to Lake St Clair National Park…
And finally to Hobart and Granny Pip. It was a wonderful
welcome. She is such a lovely and fun lady.
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