The foundation and role of
environmental movements in
changing relationships with
outdoor environments.
The Green Movement in Australia
Australia’s own environmental movement was born in the late 19th-century with the
establishment of bushwalking clubs. These groups lead their members to a growing
awareness of the value of Australia’s wilderness, and the need to protect it. For most of the
20th century, environmentalism in Australia focused mainly on preserving wilderness from
development, including the creation of national parks and fighting logging and development.
This climaxed in the 1970s and 1980s with battles to save rainforest and old-growth native
forest in Queensland, northern NSW and Tasmania.
While conservation remains important to this day, from the 1960s and 1970s other
environmental concerns gradually began to enter the mix of Australian environmentalism.
The 1960s saw the birth of the bush regeneration movement. During the 1960s and 1970s
there was growing interest in biodynamic and organic farming, as a reaction to the
widespread use of artificial chemicals in agriculture. A key Australian contribution to
environmentalism in the 1970s was Permaculture, a philosophy of farming and sustainable
living developed by Bill Mollison and David Holgrem in Tasmania.
This era saw the growth of a self-sufficiency, back-to-the-land movement. This was
associated with the 1960s and 1970s hippy counter-culture, with people moving to rural
regions such as the northern NSW around Nimbim, to apply organic and permaculture
principles.
The 1980s saw the anti-nuclear movement reach a climax with the campaign to prevent
uranium mining in Kakadu, and the wilderness protection strand of Australian
environmentalism reach its peak with the successful campaign to prevent the Franklin River
in Tasmania being dammed and direct action protests against old growth logging and mining.
In the 1980s the Franklin River campaign, in particular, saw the first green political parties,
which turned into The Greens.
In the 1990s, scientists worldwide began to sound the alarm about global warming. Growing
recognition of the scale of this issue began to move the environment from a fringe issue
towards the centre of political debate. This process gathered speed around 2005-6 due to
increasingly ominous reports from the International Panel on Climate Change and Al Gore’s
film An Inconvenient Truth.
The first decade of the 21st century has seen the green movement grow exponentially, in
Australia and worldwide, driven by the climate change issue. On the one hand, the green
movement now challenges the fundamental values of modern society. On the other hand,
green concerns and rhetoric are increasingly adopted by mainstream businesses and
politicians. There has also been a huge growth in a “green business sector” of companies
providing green products and services. Right up until the 1980s, Australian
environmentalism, while influenced by developments and concepts from overseas, could be
said to be primarily concerned with protecting Australian wilderness.
Since about 1990 and increasingly since the turn of the century, environmentalism has
become a global movement, prompted by the global nature of the threats of climate change
and loss of biodiversity, and the communication revolution of the internet and email.
Chronology
1860s Probably Australia’s first anti-logging campaign, to protect native forest at Ferntree
Gully in Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne.
1872 Yellowstone in California made the World’s first national park
1879 Royal National Park created south of Sydney – the world’s second national park.
1909 Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia founded, Australia’s first national
conservation organisation
1931-1933 Campaign by bushwalking clubs and conservationists to establish the Blue Gum
Forest near Blackheath in the Blue Mountains as a nature reserve; one of the first campaigns
to protect a wilderness area in Australia.
1927 Ernesto Genoni introduces biodynamic farming methods to Australia.
1957 National Parks Association created.
1966 Australian Conservation Foundation set up.
1971-75 Sydney “green bans” by building unions where union members refused to work on
developments threatening bushland and historic sites including The Rocks, Glebe, etc.
1972 UN Earth Summit and Stockholm Declaration: first attempt at global regulation of the
environment.
1972 United Tasmania Group (UTG) set up with Bob Brown and Milo Dunphy as codirectors, largely to campaign against damming of Lake Pedder. Regarded as the world’s first
“green” political party.
1973 Lake Pedder in Tasmania flooded by hydro-electricity dam.
1976 The Tasmanian Wilderness Society (later to become The Wilderness Society) set up at a
meeting at Bob Brown’s home in Tasmania.
1977 Greenpeace Australia Pacific set up, initially focusing on whaling.
1978 Kakadu National Park created.
1978 Australian whaling ends.
1980 First green activist elected in Australia: Norm Sanders, for the Democrats, to the
Tasmanian House of Assembly.
1982-3 Blockades and direct action campaign to prevent damming of the Franklin River.
1983 The Sydney Greens registers as the first Australian “Greens” party.
1983 Hawke ALP Federal Government grants South West Tasmania World Heritage status to
prevent damming of the Franklin River by Tasmania’s Hydro-Electric Commission following
a grassroots campaign.
1983 campaign to save the Gorden River (Franklin Dam) from being dammed.
1984 Tasmanian Wilderness Society becomes a national organization as The Wilderness
Society.
1985 Queensland Greens set up.
1987 Montreal Protocol bans CFCs that are causing the hole in the ozone layer over
Antarctica.
1989 South Australian Greens set up.
1989 Greens (standing as independents) win 5 seats in Tasmanian state election and hold
balance of power; Green-Labor Accord agreed.
1990 Greens WA set up.
1992 The Australian Greens Party formed.
1997: Kyoto Protocol; Australia under PM John Howard refuses to ratify.
1998: Protests stops Jabiluka uranium mine in Kakadu.
2000 Melbourne mass protests against World Economic Forum, following the “Battle for
Seattle” at the World Trade Organisation summit in 1999.
2008 Rudd Government ratifies Kyoto Protocol.
Questions
1. How did the Australian green movement begin?
2. What happened for most of the twentieth century?
3. Why did the movement gain speed during the 70’s and 80’s?
4. What was associated with the hippy culture of the 70’s?
5. What two main issues happened during the 80’s?
6. When did the Greens Political Party Start?
7. What happened during the 90’s?
8. Why has the green movement taken off in the 21st century?
9. When was the first National Park established?
10. What is the Kyoto Protocol is? (you will need to do some research to answer)
Lake Pedder - The beginning of the environmental movement
In its natural state, Lake Pedder was considered by many to be one of the most beautiful
regions in the world. The lake was a cradle of life - an oasis of unique plant and animal
species. Prior to the 1800’s trips to the area were epic adventuress. The early explores
experienced relentless scrub, hazardous river crossings, forced marches and periods of
starvation. Lake Pedder and its surrounding area in southwest Tasmania was proclaimed a
National Park in 1955. Access to the area remained limited so most visitors hiked in this
rugged natural environment to experience its beauty.
In 1967, the Hydro-Electric Commission (HEC) proposed to build a power scheme in the
middle of the Gordon River. This meant that Lake Pedder would be flooded. Following the
success of the Snowy River Scheme in the 1960’s, in terms of employment and the economy
it paved the way for similar projects of engineering and resourcefulness. The Tasmanian
Government at the time was pushing the state into the industrial race. Hydro-electricity was
the Tasmanian’s Government focus for providing cheaper, cleaner, unlimited power.
In May 1967, the proposal was tabled in state parliament. There was an immediate public
outcry which lead to the formation of the Lake Pedder Action Committee. As support grew,
public meeting were held and photographic displays of the area were created. Lake Pedder
supports began a petition to stop the proposal and collected 10,000 signatures, the largest
number that had ever been collected in Tasmania. By this stage, the majority of Tasmanian’s
did not want the scheme to go ahead and their protests were being heard and supported
around Australia.
The Lake Pedder Action Group took the issue to the federal government. The result ,was to
investigate alternative options to avoid the flooding the Lake Pedder. When the options were
presented to the Tasmanian government a defiant NO was their response. The Tasmanian
government were determined to flood Lake Pedder.
Even though the hydro-electricity scheme contravened a National Parks and Wildlife Act,
and the Commonwealth Government voiced concerns over the project, Lake Pedder was
flooded and the dam was officially opened in 1979.
Those lucky enough to have seen Lake Pedder prior to the damming were taken by its beauty
and naturalness. Some describe a spiritual feeling from their experience. The lake has
inspired artists, naturalists, walkers and explorers from all walks of life.
Through the first major environmental campaign in Australia the plight to save Lake Pedder
touched mainland Australians, emphasising the importance of protecting natural
environments. The campaign to save Lake Pedder was unsuccessful possibly because action
groups were too late to start their campaigns. A positive to come out of the flooding of Lake
Pedder is the awakening of consciousness across the nation that would NEVER allow a
symbol of such significance to the lost to a dubious force of economic development.
Lake Pedder Campaign
1. What time period did the Lake Pedder Campaign occur?
2. What was the Lake Pedder dispute over?
3. What is the “HEC”
4. What is the HEC driven by?
5. What is the Lake Pedder Action Group?
6. What role did the LPAG have in the Lake Pedder campaign?
7. Explain the political involvement during the Lake Pedder campaign
8. In what ways were people’s awareness raised about Franklin River?
9. Even though the Lake Pedder campaign was lost what was gained from the
experience?
10. What needed to be done in the future to prevent further environmental devastation?
11. Was the Lake Pedder campaign the start of the environmental movement in Australia?
12. What impact had the environmental movement had on relations with the
environment?
The Franklin River Campaign
The campaign to save Lake Pedder (1966 – 1973) formed the start of the Franklin River
Campaign. The Lake Pedder Campaign was a dispute over the preservation of wilderness
versus hydro industrialisation. The HEC is Tasmania’s electricity, planning and dam building
authority. They have enormous political power and a budget larger than the state government.
The HEC was opposed by a number of conservation groups, and after the Lake Pedder
debate, the Tasmanian Wilderness Society (TWS) was formed in 1976. Following the loss of
Lake Pedder, the TWS were horrified to find that the HEC planned to construct a dam on the
Gordon River, below the Franklin River junction. They mobilised and soon a national
campaign was mounted to protect the Franklin and the wilderness of South West Tasmania.
.
Meanwhile, in early 1981, Aboriginal caves were discovered on the lower Franklin. They
contained the remains of campfires, stone tools and animal bones which dated back to 24,000
- 8,000 years BP (before present). This added to the suite of values in the area threatened by
flooding. Other values included rare and endangered species, ancient rain forests, and Huon
Pine. Similar caves were subsequently discovered which would have been flooded by the
Gordon above Olga scheme.
In late 1981, the state government attempted to resolve the constitutional deadlock by holding
a referendum. The Tasmanian Wilderness Society ran a strong NO DAMS campaign, but the
government refused to include this option on the ballot paper, which gave voters a choice
simply between one scheme or the other. The Tasmanian Wilderness Society responded by
urging voters to cast an informal vote by writing NO DAMS on their ballot paper. The result
of the referendum was that the government's Gordon above Olga scheme received 9% of the
vote, with the majority of voters split between the NO DAMS and the dam on the Franklin.
The informal vote was 45%, 33% of informal voters had written NO DAMS, while 46% had
voted for the Franklin option.
Despite a vigorous campaign by the Tasmanian Wilderness Society in favour of NO DAMS
candidate Dr Bob Brown, the strongly pro-dam Liberal Party of Robin Gray won 19 of the 35
seats and proceeded to dam the Franklin. Legislation to dam the Franklin passed parliament
in 1982 and the bulldozers started rolling.
Meanwhile, the NO DAMS campaign had developed a momentum on the mainland. In
August and September 1982, Dr Bob Brown went on a national tour, showing films of the
Franklin and raising awareness and support. The aim of the conservation movement was to
get federal intervention by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser to stop the dam. The constitutional
mechanism for achieving this was the federal government's power over foreign affairs and the
fact that the South West had been nominated for World Heritage by the federal government
in 1981. Malcolm Fraser refused to intervene, saying it was a state issue. Many scientists,
constitutional experts and newspaper editors disagreed and called on Mr Fraser to stop the
dam. There were major rallies in Melbourne and Sydney.
Meanwhile plans for peaceful direct action were advanced in November 1982. Dr Bob
Brown, in front of a 14,000 strong rally in Melbourne announced that the Franklin Blockade
would commence on December 14, 1982, the same day that the Australian Democrats'
World Heritage Protection Bill was passed in the Senate. On December 14, fifty three people
were arrested. The blockade continued until March 1983, during which time 1,400 people
were arrested and many jailed. These included celebrities like Professor David Bellamy,
some members of federal and state parliament, Claudio Alcorso, a millionaire entrepreneur
from Hobart, and Dr Bob Brown himself. Dr Brown spent nearly three weeks in gaol, during
which time Dr Norm Sanders, the Democrat MHA resigned his seat in protest at the dam and
the treatment of protesters. On a count back, his seat went to Bob Brown. Bob went from
Prison to Parliament in less than 24 hours.
Meanwhile, back in July/August 1982, the Federal ALP had adopted a policy of saving the
Franklin. This policy was strongly supported by Bob Hawke, but much less so by the then
leader of the opposition, Bill Hayden. The ALP ran strongly in the subsequent election
campaign, on a policy of saving the Franklin. The Tasmanian Wilderness Society swung into
action, as by then it had about 70 branches Australia wide, many in marginal electorates. The
Society ran a strong 'vote for the Franklin' Campaign, involving full colour ads in the Sydney
Morning Herald and The Age, and letterboxing hundreds of thousands of leaflets urging a
vote for the ALP in the House of Representatives and the Democrats in the Senate. Labor's
Bob Hawke easily won the election.
Subsequent analysis showed that the TWS campaign had delivered crucial votes in marginal
electorates to Labour. After accepting victory, PM Hawke announced that the dam would not
proceed.
Premier Gray, however, defied the federal government and continued to work on the dam. At
that stage the road being built had not yet reached the dam site, so damage to the South West
was still limited. In March and April, the Federal Government brought in both regulations
and legislation to stop the dam. These were challenged in the High Court by a resistant
Premier Gray. He was joined by Queensland Premier, while the Federal Government was
supported by the states of Victoria and NSW. The High Court heard the case in 1983 and
announced its decision on July 1. It found by a majority of four votes to three that the
Commonwealth Government had the power to stop the dam. Premier Gray accepted the
decision, halted the dam works and the Franklin was saved.
Later that year a $270 million 'compensation' package for Tasmania was agreed between PM
Hawke and Premier Gray. This case was a landmark in Australian environmental and
constitutional history. It established the Commonwealth Government's power to protect the
national environment on issues of international importance. The same power was
subsequently used to protect the Daintree rainforests and Tasmania's Lemonthyme and parts
of the southern forests.
Franklin River Campaign
1. What was the Franklin Rivers dispute over?
2. What is the Tasmanian Wilderness Society?
3. What role did the Tasmanian Wilderness society have in the Franklin River
campaign?
4. Explain the political involvement at a state and federal level during the Franklin River
campaign
5. What was the outcome of the Franklin River Campaign?
6. What compensation package for Tasmania was arranged?
7. Why was the Franklin River campaign a landmark in Australian environmental
conservation?
8. Discuss the link between the formation of the TWS and the success of the Franklin
River campaign
The foundation and role of environmental movements in changing relationships with outdoor
environments, in relation to at least one of the following:
– The Wilderness Society
– Australian Conservation Foundation
– Victorian National Parks Association
– Greenpeace
– Gould league
Task:
Research one of the above listed environmental movements and evaluate the role of the
specific environmental movement in changing relationships with outdoor environments.
Include all information in the space provided below. Use the following websites below to
assist you with your research.
https://www.wilderness.org.au/
http://www.acfonline.org.au/
http://www.vnpa.org.au/
http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/en/
http://www.gould.edu.au/
Name of Group:
Year Group Formed:
Best-known Leaders:
Brief Background and History:
Main Goals and Objectives:
Major Achievements:
Any Other Notable Facts: