Gordon River Road | |
---|---|
General information | |
Type | Road |
Length | 85 km (53 mi) |
Route number(s) | B61 |
Major junctions | |
East end | Lyell Highway Rosegarland |
Glenora Road | |
West end | Strathgordon, Tasmania |
Location(s) | |
Region | South West Tasmania |
Major suburbs | Bushy Park, Westerway, Maydena |
The Gordon River Road, sometimes called the Strathgordon Road, (B61), is a road in the south western region of Tasmania, Australia.
The 85-kilometre (53 mi) road was built by the Hydro-Electric Commission of Tasmania with funding from the Australian Government to service the construction of the Gordon and the Serpentine dams, leading to the flooding of Lake Pedder. [1] [2]
In 1963 the Tasmanian Government successfully approached the Commonwealth for a $5 million grant to finance road construction from Maydena to the Middle Gordon River. In a submission never released to the public, the Hydro-Electric Commission described the provision of road access as a matter of urgency
Construction of the road commenced in January 1964.
It commenced at Maydena and passes north of the headwaters of the Florentine River (to the north) and the Weld River to the south at a location known as Tim Shea which is at an altitude of 952 metres (3,123 ft) above sea level and provides views north and north east to the Mount Field National Park.
It turns south, and at Frodshams Pass the Scotts Peak Dam Road (C607) continues south to the eastern shores of the modified Lake Pedder, then to Edgar Dam, and finally to Scotts Peak Dam. The Gordon River Road continues west from Frodshams Pass, passes Mount Wedge and the Sentinel Range to the south, and passes through the location of Strathgordon before ending at the Gordon Dam.
The road is the major man-made intrusion into the area of the World Heritage Wilderness area, and with the Scott Peak Dam Road is the most south western road in Tasmania. It is the main means of vehicular access for tourist buses and other transport to view the man made dams from the Lake Pedder damming. The road is bounded by the Mount Field National Park near its commencement, the Southwest National Park to its south, and the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park to its north. [3]
Southwest National Park is an Australian national park located in the south-west of Tasmania, bounded by the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park to the north and the Hartz Mountains National Park to the east. It is a part of a chain of national parks and state reserves that make up the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Covering an area of 6,183 km2 (2,387 sq mi), it is Tasmania's largest national park.
Lake Pedder, once a glacial outwash lake, is a man-made impoundment and diversion lake located in the southwest of Tasmania, Australia. In addition to its natural catchment from the Frankland Range, the lake is formed by the 1972 damming of the Serpentine and Huon rivers by the Hydro Electric Commission of Tasmania for the purposes of hydroelectric power generation.
Lake Gordon is a man-made reservoir created by the Gordon Dam, located on the upper reaches of the Gordon River in the south-west region of Tasmania, Australia.
The Gordon River is a major perennial river located in the central highlands, south-west, and western regions of Tasmania, Australia.
Hydro Tasmania, known for most of its history as the Hydro-Electric Commission (HEC) or The Hydro, is the trading name of the Hydro-Electric Corporation, a Tasmanian Government business enterprise which is the predominant electricity generator in the state of Tasmania, Australia. The Hydro was originally oriented towards hydro-electricity, due to Tasmania's dramatic topography and relatively high rainfall in the central and western parts of the state. Today Hydro Tasmania operates thirty hydro-electric and one gas power station, and is a joint owner in three wind farms.
Strathgordon is a rural locality in the local government area (LGA) of Derwent Valley in the South-east LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about 121 kilometres (75 mi) west of the town of New Norfolk. The 2016 census recorded a population of 15 for the state suburb of Southwest, which includes Strathgordon. It is on the road to the Gordon River dam the most south westerly road in the south west of Tasmania. It is a tourist destination for visitors wishing to visit the Southwest National Park and World Heritage listed wilderness.
The West Coast Range is a mountain range located in the West Coast region of Tasmania, Australia.
The Tasmanian Wilderness Society was a Tasmanian environmental group that started in 1976 in response to a proposal by the state's Hydro Electric Commission to construct a dam on the Gordon River, downstream from the Franklin River, that led to the Franklin Dam controversy. The group evolved from membership of the South West Tasmania Action Committee and members of the United Tasmania Group. It was active in public protest about the issues of Wilderness, the Franklin River and South West Tasmania.
Maydena is a locality in Tasmania, Australia, alongside the River Tyenna.
The South West Wilderness of Tasmania, Australia is a remote and inaccessible region of South West Tasmania containing unspoilt scenery, rugged peaks, wild rivers, unique flora and fauna, and a long and rugged coastline. Parts of the wilderness are more than 50 km from the nearest road, so the only access to the area is by foot, air or sea.
South West Tasmania is a region in Tasmania that has evoked curiosity as to its resources over the duration of European presence on the island.
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service is the government body responsible for protected areas of Tasmania on public land, such as national parks, historic sites and regional reserves. Historically it has also had responsibility for managing wildlife, including game.
Mount Anne is a mountain located in the Southwest National Park in south-west region of Tasmania, Australia. The mountain lies within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tasmanian Wilderness.
The Gordon Dam, also known as the Gordon River Dam, is a major gated double curvature concrete arch dam with a controlled spillway across the Gordon River, located in Southwest National Park, Tasmania, Australia. The impounded reservoir is called Lake Gordon.
Scotts Peak is a mountain in South West Tasmania which is associated with the construction and flooding of the original Lake Pedder, as the lake now completely surrounds the peak. It lies east of the Frankland Range and has an elevation of 669 metres.
The Scotts Peak Dam Road is the most southerly point of road access into Southwest National Park, Tasmania, Australia.
The Scotts Peak Dam is a rockfill embankment dam without a spillway across the Huon River, located in the South West region of Tasmania, Australia.
The Serpentine Dam is a rockfill embankment dam with a concrete face and a controlled spillway across the Serpentine River, located in the South West region of Tasmania, Australia.
The Edgar Dam is an earthfill embankment saddle dam without a spillway, located offstream in the South West region of Tasmania, Australia.
The Lake Pedder Action Committee was a Tasmanian environmental group.