The Famous Franklin River
The Famous Franklin River

It was a big deal in Australian history back in the 1980's (I remember all the drama); the Tasmanian State Government wanted to build a dam to produce Hydro Electric power but it would have flooded a lot of this area. This was well before any sort of solar or wind was an option. They started work but protesters were chaining themselves to trees and getting lots of media coverage. Lots of people weighed in and the dam would have also destroyed some natural animal habitats and Aboriginal painted caves. The State Government kept trying and got a referendum, where 55% wanted a dam but something like 45% did an informal vote and lots just wrote "no dam" on the  ballet paper. Eventually the Federal Government had to pass laws and make it a World Heritage Area and the development was stopped.

This was one of the shortest walks we have done but it was so good to get a glimpse of the Franklin River without have to travel miles up a dirt road or hike for days. They have done so well making this area easily accessible.
This was one of the shortest walks we have done but it was so good to get a glimpse of the Franklin River without have to travel miles up a dirt road or hike for days. They have done so well making this area easily accessible.
The whole area was very calm and peaceful, not too many other people around.
The whole area was very calm and peaceful, not too many other people around.
Even though everything was covered in moss it was still a lot dryer than I was expecting. I suppose even a Tasmanian summer can get hot and dry, even this far south.
Even though everything was covered in moss it was still a lot dryer than I was expecting. I suppose even a Tasmanian summer can get hot and dry, even this far south.
All this in a few hundred metres of walking trail just off the main highway. Must be amazing to venture off on one of the longer hikes for days and days into the wilderness.
All this in a few hundred metres of walking trail just off the main highway. Must be amazing to venture off on one of the longer hikes for days and days into the wilderness.
So beautiful and natural, it felt wrong to even touch it.
So beautiful and natural, it felt wrong to even touch it.
It sort of looked like something out of a fairy tale movie.
It sort of looked like something out of a fairy tale movie.
It obviously does get very wet here at other times of the year because there was so much moss, on everything!
It obviously does get very wet here at other times of the year because there was so much moss, on everything!
It’s fair to say this is ’big tree’ country.
It's fair to say this is 'big tree' country.
Bright fluro orange fungi really stands out in a green forest wonderland.
Bright fluro orange fungi really stands out in a green forest wonderland.
Right?
Right?
I loved the quote on this sign (in the bottom right corner). It says: ”When you go out there you don’t get away from it all, you get back to it all. You come home to what’s important. You come home to yourself.” (Peter Dombrovskis)
I loved the quote on this sign (in the bottom right corner). It says: "When you go out there you don't get away from it all, you get back to it all. You come home to what's important. You come home to yourself." (Peter Dombrovskis)
It took a while for me to workout what the artist was trying to to convey with their big shiny, silver thing in the middle of the wilderness. But maybe it’s all the pebbles in the creek, all the big rocks and silver mines around the western area of Tasmania.
It took a while for me to workout what the artist was trying to to convey with their big shiny, silver thing in the middle of the wilderness. But maybe it's all the pebbles in the creek, all the big rocks and silver mines around the western area of Tasmania.

And that's it folks! Next stop on my epic Tasmanian tour: Hobart, the capital of this island state.