Gordon River Road
Encyclopedia
(B61) - was a road built to service the Hydro Tasmania
construction of the Gordon Dam
, and the Serpentine Dam, Tasmania
leading to the flooding of Lake Pedder in South West Tasmania
.
Construction of the road commenced in January 1964.
to the south at a location known as Tim Shea which is at an altitude of 952 metres looks 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 access for tourist buses and other transport to view the man made dams from the Lake Pedder damming, apart from flying over the region.
It 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.
Hydro Tasmania
Hydro Tasmania, known for most of its history as The HEC, is the government owned enterprise which is the predominant electricity generator in the state of Tasmania, Australia...
construction of the Gordon Dam
Gordon Dam
The Gordon Dam , is a double curvature arch dam on the Gordon River in Tasmania, Australia. The dam has a length of , and a height of , making it the tallest dam in Tasmania and the fifth-tallest in Australia....
, and the Serpentine Dam, Tasmania
Serpentine Dam, Tasmania
The Serpentine Dam was one of the component dams involved in the flooding of Lake Pedder in South West Tasmania, it is located on the Serpentine River, Tasmania. The dam is a high rockfill dam....
leading to the flooding of Lake Pedder in South West Tasmania
South West Tasmania
South West Tasmania is a region in Tasmania that has evolved over the fifty years between its consideration as a potential resource for development to its consideration as World Heritage wilderness...
.
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 HECHydro TasmaniaHydro Tasmania, known for most of its history as The HEC, is the government owned enterprise which is the predominant electricity generator in the state of Tasmania, Australia...
described the provision of road access as a matter of urgency
Construction of the road commenced in January 1964.
Route
It commenced at Maydena and passes north of the headwaters of the Florentine River (to the north) and the Weld RiverWeld Valley
The Weld Valley, located in southern Tasmania, is an area of aboriginal cultural heritage and unique natural history within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.It stretches north-west of Huonville and is approximetely west of Hobart...
to the south at a location known as Tim Shea which is at an altitude of 952 metres looks north and north east to the Mount Field National Park
Mount Field National Park
Mount Field National Park is a national park in Tasmania, Australia, 64 km northwest of Hobart. The landscape ranges from eucalyptus temperate rainforest to alpine moorland, rising to 1,434 metres at the summit of Mount Field West....
.
It turns south, and at Frodshams Pass the Scotts Peak Dam Road
Scotts Peak Dam Road
Scotts Peak Dam RoadIs the most southerly point of road access into the South West Tasmania region.It was built specifically to facilitate the construction of dams for the flooding of Lake Pedder...
(C607) continues south to the eastern shores of the modified Lake Pedder
Lake Pedder
Lake Pedder was once a natural lake, located in the southwest of Tasmania, Australia but the name is now used in an official sense to refer to the much larger artificial impoundment and diversion lake formed when the original lake was expanded by damming in 1972 by the Hydro Electric Commission of...
, then to Edgar Dam, and finally to Scotts Peak Dam
Scotts Peak Dam
The Scotts Peak Dam was one of the three component dams in the flooding of the original Lake Pedder in South West Tasmania, Australia. Completed in 1973, the dam is high, long, spanning across the upper reaches of the Huon River....
.
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
Strathgordon, Tasmania
Strathgordon is a locality in Tasmania, Australia at the end of the Gordon River Road, the most south westerly road in the south west of Tasmania.It is remote by Tasmanian standards with the nearest basic services away along a winding road at Maydena....
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 access for tourist buses and other transport to view the man made dams from the Lake Pedder damming, apart from flying over the region.
It 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.