A GREEN LEGACY
The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) embraces six national parks plus other conservation areas that jointly cover more than 1.5 million hectares, one fifth of Tasmania's land mass. It is one of the few remaining temperate wilderness areas on the planet, sharing that honour with the Fiordland region of south-west New Zealand and the Patagonian Andes of South America, all united in evolutionary history with the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.
The area was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1982 because it hosts many natural features that have both geological and cultural significance. Despite its wilderness, visitors can access several locations in south-west Tasmania that demonstrate why the area is so special, including Lake Pedder, where modern environmental activism began, and the Styx Valley, where the battle to protect old growth forests continued for decades after.
LAKE PEDDER, THE BIRTHPLACE OF GREEN ACTIVISM
Environmentalists have been present in Australia for a long while, but the 1960s and ‘70s was when the movement really gained momentum. It was around the time when activists were also protesting for women's equality and Indigenous land rights. During this era, society was realising the importance of conserving Australia's environment. As
