Lake Pedder
| Company type | Government-owned corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hydroelectric power generation |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Headquarters | Tasmania , Australia |
| Products | Hydroelectric power |
| Parent | Government of Tasmania |
| Website | www |
Lake Pedder, initially a glacial outwash lake, has been transformed into a man-made reservoir and diversion lake located in South West Tasmania, Australia. Constructed in 1972 by impounding the Serpentine and Huon rivers, this development was undertaken by the Hydro-Electric Commission (now Hydro Tasmania) to facilitate hydroelectric power production. Due to this engineering project, it is also known as the Huon-Serpentine Impoundment.
The inundated area spans roughly , ranking it as Tasmania’s second largest lake. Its watershed receives natural inflows from the Frankland Range. The conversion from a natural glacial body of water to a major hydroelectric reservoir highlights its critical function within Tasmania’s renewable energy network.
The original and modified lake
Named in the early 1900s after John Pedder, Tasmania’s inaugural Chief Justice, the original Lake Pedder lent its name to the current artificial impoundment, which differs markedly in scale, form, and ecological characteristics.
The modern Lake Pedder comprises three dams:
- Serpentine Dam – a rockfill dam standing high with a concrete upstream face on the Serpentine River.
- Scotts Peak Dam – a rockfill dam high with a bitumen upstream face on the upper reaches of the Huon River near Scotts Peak.
- Edgar Dam – a rockfill dam high located at Lake Edgar close to Scotts Peak.
These structures were engineered and built by Tasmania’s Hydro Electric Commission (HEC) as components of the Upper Gordon River hydroelectric scheme. This program sought to expand Tasmania’s hydroelectric capacity to stimulate secondary industries through cost-effective renewable energy.
Finalized in 1972, the Huon-Serpentine impoundment discharges into Lake Gordon via the McPartlan Pass Canal. Collectively, these reservoirs form Australia’s largest water catchment and storage complex.
Climate
Lake Pedder experiences an oceanic climate classified as Köppen Cfb.
Damming
The decision to flood the original Lake Pedder sparked protests across Tasmania and mainland Australia after the Tasmanian Government revoked its National Park status in 1967. The Hydro-Electric Commission (HEC), perceived as a government instrument, encountered significant resistance due to environmental concerns. Premier Eric Reece and HEC Commissioner Allan Knight were prominent proponents of damming projects in Tasmania, actively campaigning both statewide and nationally.
Known as "Electric Eric" for his vigorous endorsement of HEC power developments on the Gordon River, Reece authorized Lake Pedder’s inundation in 1972 despite opposition and a federal proposal from Prime Minister Gough Whitlam aimed at preserving the site. Reece dismissed Whitlam’s intervention, emphasizing Tasmania’s sovereign authority.
The flooding process was documented with photographs in the 1976 Tasmanian Year Book.
Resistance against flooding extended beyond Tasmania, drawing national and international attention. The South West Tasmania Wilderness became an environmental focal point, attracting numerous visitors eager to see the area before submersion.
In 1971, many individuals traveled to Pedder, culminating in a heavily attended March event known as the Pedder Pilgrimage.
Activism included involvement from the United Tasmania Group, acknowledged as the world’s first green party and precursor to the Tasmanian Greens. The South West Tasmania Action Committee—later evolving into the Tasmanian Wilderness Society—continued its efforts after flooding, aware that further catchment assessments were being conducted by HEC. Despite mounting economic, environmental, and engineering criticisms of the dam, serious attention was only garnered during the Franklin Dam dispute. In 1972, Christian activist Brenda Hean perished alongside pilot Max Price while flying from Tasmania to Canberra to protest the dam; sabotage of their aircraft’s fuel supply was suspected.
Australian writer and environmentalist Hesba Fay Brinsmead authored two works concerning Lake Pedder’s flooding:
- Echo in the Wilderness (1972), a children’s novel set immediately before inundation
- I Will Not Say the Day Is Done (1983), a nonfiction narrative detailing efforts to protect the lake
Concerns centered on losing Lake Pedder’s distinctive pink quartzite beach and its unique wilderness character—issues that gained further prominence during debates over the Franklin Dam.
In 1994, the advocacy group Pedder 2000 was established with proposals to drain and rehabilitate the lake to its former condition. Although unsuccessful, restoration initiatives persist through ongoing efforts by the Lake Pedder Action Committee.
A disputed and debated designation
The officially designated name for this water body carries considerable weight in matters of land management, property rights, and hydroelectric operations. From a technical standpoint, the present-day Lake Pedder operates as a reservoir since its waters are channeled into Lake Gordon through the McPartlan's Pass canal, which connects it to the Gordon power facility. Nonetheless, critics of the 1972 inundation oppose using the formal name "Lake Pedder" for the enlarged water area, opting instead for "Huon–Serpentine Impoundment." This alternative title emphasizes the two rivers—Huon and Serpentine—that were dammed and more precisely describes its function as a hydroelectric reservoir rather than a natural lake. Among bushwalkers, it is informally referred to as "Fake Pedder."
Extinctions linked to Lake Pedder
The Lake Pedder earthworm (Hypolimnus pedderensis), known solely from a specimen collected along Lake Pedder’s shoreline in 1971, has not been sighted since the flooding of the lake. A survey conducted in 1996 failed to find any specimens, and since 2003 it has been classified as extinct on the IUCN Red List.
Similarly, the Lake Pedder planarian (Romankenkius pedderensis), a flatworm species native only to this region, was declared extinct on the IUCN Red List in 1996. However, there were indications in 2012 that this species might still exist.
The Pedder galaxias, a freshwater fish endemic to Australia, is regarded as extinct within its original habitat in Lake Pedder and its tributaries but continues to survive in captivity and through two relocated populations: one established at Lake Oberon within Tasmania’s Western Arthurs mountain range, and another at a modified water supply dam near Strathgordon.
Restoration Initiative
In line with the United Nations Decade of Ecological Restoration (2021–2030), the Lake Pedder Restoration Committee is dedicated to returning the lake to its natural state. Initiated by Christine Milne and supported by Todd Dudley, Bob Brown, Paul Thomas, and Tabatha Badger, this committee is formulating an Ecological Management Plan aimed at rehabilitating Lake Pedder along with its surrounding iconic ecosystems.
See also
- List of reservoirs and dams in Tasmania
- List of lakes in Tasmania
- Gordon Power Station
- Olegas Truchanas
- Olegas (opera)
- The South West Book
Further reading
- Buckman, Greg. Tasmania's Wilderness Battles: A History. Allen & Unwin, 2008. ISBN 978-1-74176-487-1.
- Gee, Helen & Fenton, Janet (eds). The South West Book: A Tasmanian Wilderness. Australian Conservation Foundation, 1978. ISBN 978-0-85802-056-6.
- Green, Roger & Lea, G. Battle for the Franklin: Conversations with the Combatants in the Struggle for South West Tasmania. Fontana/Australian Conservation Foundation, 1984. ISBN 978-0-00-636715-4.
- Lines, William J. Patriots: Defending Australia's Natural Heritage. University of Queensland Press, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7022-3554-2.
- Neilson, David. South West Tasmania: A Land of the Wild. Rigby, 1975. ISBN 978-0-85179-874-5.
- Thompson, Peter. Power in Tasmania. Australian Conservation Foundation, 1981. ISBN 978-0-85802-067-2.
External links
- Overview of the Gordon-Pedder power station by Hydro Tasmania
- Location within the World Heritage Area – Tasmanian National Parks
- Original archival records concerning Lake Pedder at the National Archives
- Investigation into the Lake Pedder drainage and restoration proposal – Report by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment, Recreation and the Arts (1995)