The **Franklin River Campaign** was a massive protest wave and
[blockade](blockade "wikilink") that occurred in Tasmania and Victoria,
[Australia](Commonwealth_of_Australia "wikilink") that successfully
stopped of the construction of a controversial [dam](dam "wikilink")
over the Gordon River, Tasmania. The campaign [began in 1976 with the
announcement of dam construction, and ended in
1983](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_Oceania "wikilink") with the
dam project being ended.

## Background

The dam was proposed in 1976 and immediately faced controversy and
dissent. Protesters from the unsuccessful anti-dam [Lake Pedder
Campaign](Lake_Pedder_Campaign "wikilink") began to reassemble and plan
out more actions.\[1\]

The discovery of [ancient aboriginal](Aboriginal_Australians "wikilink")
paintings in caves around the river (Tasmanian Aboriginals had been
exterminated in a [genocidal war in the
1830s](Black_War_\(Tasmania\) "wikilink")) in 1981 further raised
tensions. The colonial government of Tasmania did not care about the
exterminate of culture for further [profits](Profit "wikilink").\[2\]

## Events

The campaign began with the creation of the Tasmanian Wilderness
Society, a [nonviolent protest](Pacifism "wikilink") group that focused
on 'raising awareness' by placing posters, pamphlets, tours of the
river, thousands-strong protest marches in cities and calling
representatives. This was completely ineffective, as the Tasmanian
government announced a referendum and ignored the most popular options,
(showing the [state](State_\(Polity\) "wikilink") is an insult to
[democracy](democracy "wikilink")).

The most effective action took place on the 14th of December, 1982,
where 2,500 occupied the dam construction site. Forming a human chain
through the forest to prevent construction workers from entering the
site. The blockade also occurred on a flotilla and canoes prevented
[police](police "wikilink") from bringing construction machinery to the
site by barge. Around 1,440 people were arrested by police (for what?
protecting their community? protecting the environment? police do not
serve the people, they serve the state). Folk singer Shane Howard wrote
the official anthem of the campaign, titled “[Let the Franklin
Flow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyU7KxVBGP8)”.

On the 1st of March 1983, 231 people were arrested in their boats on the
Gordon River and the Wilderness Society's flag was flown above the Hydro
Electric Commission building in Hobart.\[3\]

## Results

The construction of the dam was blocked, and ended the construction of
new dams across Australia. The action also won [$270
million](Money "wikilink") in grants to environmental protection groups
in Tasmania and inspired further anti-dam actions across the world.\[4\]

## References

<references />

1.  [Wikipedia](Wikipedia "wikilink") -
    <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Dam_controversy>
2.  <https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/tasmanian-wilderness-society-blocks-dam-construction-franklin-river-campaign-1981-83>
3.
4.