South West Tasmania is a

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

that has evoked curiosity as to its resources over the duration of European presence on the island. The more recent is the consideration as a potential area of resources for development and its consideration as

World Heritage A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

wilderness. The most notable controversies occurring in the region in the late twentieth century was the flooding of

Lake Pedder 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 ...

and the proposed damming of the

Franklin River The Franklin River is a major perennial river located in the Central Highlands and western regions of Tasmania, Australia. The river is located in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park at the mid northern area of the Tasmanian Wilderne ...

by the

Franklin Dam The Franklin Dam or Gordon-below-Franklin Dam project was a proposed dam on the Gordon River in Tasmania, Australia, that was never constructed. The movement that eventually led to the project's cancellation became one of the most significant e ...

. Southwest is a locality that covers most of the region. The locality (and therefore the region) is in the local government areas of Derwent Valley (29%),

Huon Valley The Huon Valley, or simply the Huon, is a valley and geographic area located in southern Tasmania, Australia. The largest town is Huonville, with other smaller towns spread across the area. It includes Australia's most southern permanent settle ...

(20%), Central Highlands (7%) and

West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...

(44%). Its central point, near the encircled locality of Strathgordon, is about west of the town of

New Norfolk New Norfolk is a town on the Derwent River (Tasmania), River Derwent, in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia. At the Census in Australia#2011, 2011 census, New Norfolk had a population of 5,543. Situated north-west of Hobart on the Lyell Hi ...

, the administrative centre for the Derwent Valley Council. The 2016 census has a population of 15 for the state suburb of Southwest.

Early surveys

Most early walks through the region were for discovery, or in the case of

Thomas Bather Moore Thomas Bather Moore (1850 1919) was a pioneer explorer of Western and South West, Tasmania, Australia. Biography He was born at New Norfolk and died at Queenstown. He was buried at the graveyard Strahan overlooking Macquarie Harbour. He was ...

was to establish tracks for access. In 1927, a walk through the area between Cox Bight and

Bathurst Harbour Bathurst Harbour is a shallow bay located in the south west region of Tasmania, Australia. Bathurst Harbour is contained within the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Nature Reserve, and the Southwest National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wild ...

even included the then governor of the state, Sir

James O'Grady Sir James O'Grady, (6 May 1866 – 10 December 1934) was a trade unionist and Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was the first colonial governor appointed by the Labour Party from within its own ranks. Early life O'Grady was b ...

, and its intention was a search for geological information.

Locality boundaries

The

Southern Ocean The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is regarded as the second-small ...

forms the western and southern boundaries. The locality encircles Strathgordon, and is adjoined by the localities of Macquarie Heads, Strahan,

, Queenstown, Gormanston,

Lake St Clair Lake St. Clair (french: Lac Sainte-Claire) is a freshwater lake that lies between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan. It was named in 1679 by French Catholic explorers after Saint Clare of Assisi, on whose feast da ...

Derwent Bridge Derwent Bridge is a rural locality in the local government area (LGA) of Central Highlands in the Central LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about north-west of the town of Hamilton. The 2016 census has a population of 23 for the state ...

, Butlers Gorge,

Tarraleah Tarraleah is a rural locality in the local government area (LGA) of Central Highlands in the Central LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about north-west of the town of Hamilton. The 2016 census has a population of nil for the state subu ...

, Wayatinah, Florentine,

Maydena Maydena is a locality in Tasmania, Australia, alongside the River Tyenna. Maydena is on the Gordon River Road, south west of New Norfolk, through the Bushy Park Hop Fields, turn left at Westerway, past Mount Field National Park and Russell Fa ...

, Styx, Lonnavale, Geeveston, Raminea,

Strathblane Strathblane ( gd, Strath Bhlàthain, ) is a village and parish in the registration county of Stirlingshire, situated in the southwestern part of the Stirling council area, in central Scotland. It lies at the foothills of the Campsie Fells and the ...

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

, Lune River, and Recherche.

Road infrastructure

The A10 route (

Lyell Highway The Lyell Highway (Route A10) is a highway in Tasmania, running from Hobart to Queenstown. It is the one of two transport routes that passes through the West Coast Range, the other being the Anthony Road. Name The name is derived from ...

) enters from Derwent Bridge in the north-east and runs generally north-west until it reaches the north-western boundary, where it exits to Queenstown. Route B61 (

Gordon River Road The Gordon River Road, sometimes called the Strathgordon Road, (B61), is a road in the south western region of Tasmania, Australia. The road was built by the Hydro-Electric Commission of Tasmania with funding from the Australian Government ...

) enters from Maydena in the east and runs generally west through Strathgordon to the

Gordon Dam 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 South West Tasmania, Australia. The impounded reservoir is called Lake Gordon. ...

, where it ends. Route C607 (

Scotts Peak Dam Road The Scotts Peak Dam Road (Route C607) is the most southerly point of road access into Southwest National Park, Tasmania, Australia. The road was built by the Hydro-Electricity Commission of Tasmania with funding from the Australian Government ...

) starts at an intersection with B61 and runs south and west to

Scotts Peak Dam 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 impounded reservoir, also formed with the Edgar Dam and the Serpentine Dam, is called Lak ...

, where it ends.

South West Advisory Committee

Members were Sir George B Cartland, G. J. Foot and

A. G. Ogilvie Albert George Ogilvie (10 March 1890 – 10 June 1939) was an Australian politician and Premier of Tasmania from 22 June 1934 until his death on 10 June 1939. Ogilvie was the elder son of James Ogilvie. He was educated at St Patrick's Col ...

. Submissions were received on its subject area. It made a preliminary report in May 1976, and a final report in August 1978.

South West Tasmania Resources Survey

Following national and international concern over the fate of South West Tasmania, Commonwealth Government funded the survey with the ''States Grants (Nature Conservation Act) Act'' of 1974. Further funding was provided from the ''Environment (Financial Assistance) Act'' of 1977. The South West Tasmania Resources Survey produced 25 Discussion Papers, 22 Working Papers and 20 Occasional papers - including the breakup of the region into river catchments: *

* Picton River * Huon Weld *

Lake Gordon 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. Features The reservoir was formed in the early 1970s as a result of the dam constr ...

–

* Lower Gordon *

Macquarie Harbour Macquarie Harbour is a shallow fjord in the West Coast region of Tasmania, Australia. It is approximately , and has an average depth of , with deeper places up to . It is navigable by shallow-draft vessels. The main channel is kept clear by the ...

* King River * Mackintosh-Murchison * Wanderer and Giblin *

Davey River The Davey River is a perennial river located in the south-west region of Tasmania, Australia. Course and features The Davey River rises on the western slopes of the Frankland Range, below Coronation Peak, and flows generally south by west thro ...

* New River and

South Coast South Coast is a name often given to coastal areas to the south of a geographical region or major metropolitan area. Geographical Australia *South Coast (New South Wales), the coast of New South Wales, Australia, south of Sydney * South Coast (Q ...

National inventory

Ten years after the South West Resources survey the Australia Heritage Commission published an inventory for the South West.R.G. Lesslie, B.G. Mackey, J. Shulmeister (1988) ''National wilderness inventory : Stage II, wilderness quality in Tasmania'' Canberra : Australian Heritage Commission "A Report to the Australian Heritage Commission'.

Early surveys

Locality boundaries

Road infrastructure

South West Advisory Committee

South West Tasmania Resources Survey

National inventory

See also

References

Further reading