Agency:
The South-West Committee
Agency Number:
Start Date:
12 Nov 1962
End Date:
31 Dec 1973
Description:
The South-West Committee (SWC) came into being as a result of a meeting held in Hobart on 12 November 1962. The meeting convened by Ron Brown attended by representatives of organisations and persons particularly interested in the future of South-West Tasmania, resolved to form an organisation to work for the conservation of the area and for the introduction of a rational plan for the development of its resources.;;In its early years the Committee, which was representative of organisations more generally concerned with conservation and outdoor recreation, was instrumental in having the whole of the South-West declared a fire protected area under the Rural Fires Board Act, and in the creation of a Faunal District covering more than a million and a half acres, the largest reserve of its kind in Australia except for the northern Territory.;;In 1966, following a thorough and exhaustive investigation, the SWC submitted to government a comprehensive and co-ordinated plan for the future of the South-West. Among other things, the submission suggested areas particularly suited to be set aside for reserves, together with the type of development desirable within each area. Proposals were also submitted for the type of authority best suited to administer the area.;;Limited progress in the achievement of these and other objectives together with the announcement by the Hydro Electric Commission (HEC or Hydro) of plans for the Gordon River scheme for power development which would subsequently drown Lake Pedder resulted in a call by the SWC for an independent enquiry (Lake Pedder Committee of Enquiry) to examine all aspects of conservation and development in the South-West.;;In the five years from 1967 a number of recommendations arising from another enquiry conducted by the Legislative Council Select Committee (Cartland Report) which received its principal submissions from the SWC, e.g. the declaration of a large national park in the South-West, the setting up of a South-West National Park Board, and the establishment of a new authority to administer national parks and wildlife in the state (National Parks and Wildlife Service) were approved.;;The SWC had a constituent membership of over 1,000 persons. Many organisations were represented in the SWC's constituency including:;;Aero Club of (Southern) Tasmania;;Launceston Walking Club;;Residents of Port Davey;;Tasmanian Caverneering Club;;Tasmanian University Mountaineering Club;;Tasmanian Aviation Service;;Save Lake Pedder Committee;;South-West Tasmania Action Committee;;Tasmanian Flora and Fauna Conservation Committee;;Youth Hostels Association of Tasmania;;and most recently the Lake Pedder Restoration Committee;;Records are held for many other both government and non-government bodies and individuals whom bear either a direct or indirect relation to the activities of the South-West Committee particularly concerning the Lake Pedder controversy as indicated by the presence of material at item level given a description containing the words "Lake Pedder". See "Related Agencies" field below for links to the records deposited by those agencies and individuals.
Information Sources:
Grant, Malcolm, 'Background Information: South-West Committee', 1972.;;
Functions Performed:
Conservation movement
Related Agencies:
Geoffrey Ford, Ray Lowenthal, Arthur Mchugh and Rick Jamieson (NG3530) |
Lands and Surveys Department (TA69) | 01 Jan 1804 | 23 Dec 1970 |
Macfie Family (NG2111) | 06 Feb 1877 | 01 Jan 2000 |
Office of the Premier (TA416) | 01 Jan 1882 |
Pretyman Family (NG1012) | 17 Aug 1892 |
Rudolph Harry Major (NG385) | 01 Jan 1900 | 14 Aug 1974 |
Jack Thwaites and Family (NG1155) | 01 Jan 1902 | 31 Dec 1986 |
Tasmanian Field Naturalists Club (NG689) | 01 Jan 1904 |
Eric Elliott Reece (NG1300) | 06 Jul 1909 | 23 Oct 1999 |
Clive Sansom (NG2089) | 01 Jan 1910 | 31 Dec 1981 |
Scenery Preservation Board (TA27) | 26 Nov 1915 | 01 Nov 1971 |
Forestry Department (TA900) | 01 Jan 1921 | 01 Jul 1994 |
Arnold Rowlands (NG2167) | 17 Apr 1925 | 01 Oct 2009 |
Hobart Walking Club (NG667) | 21 Nov 1929 |
Hydro-Electric Commission (TA314) | 01 Jan 1930 | 30 Jun 1998 |
National Fitness Council (TA77) | 01 Jan 1939 |
Dr. Bob Brown (NG2029) | 27 Dec 1944 |
Tasmanian Government Tourist and Immigration Department (TA6) | 01 Jan 1946 | 31 Dec 1971 |
Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park Board (TA426) | 01 Jan 1947 | 31 Dec 1968 |
Mount Field National Park Board (TA433) | 01 Jan 1947 | 31 Dec 1968 |
Youth Hostels Association (NG731) | 25 Nov 1950 | 31 May 1973 |
Canine Defence League (NG1102) | 13 Dec 1950 |
Department of Film Production (TA178) | 01 Jan 1960 | 31 Dec 1977 |
North West Walking Club (NG1398) | 01 Apr 1960 |
Save Lake Pedder National Park Committee (NG1431) | 01 Jan 1964 |
Climbers Club of Tasmania (NG2454) | 01 Jan 1965 |
Professional Fishermen's Association of Tasmania (NG3013) | 01 Oct 1966 | 31 Dec 1991 |
Lake Pedder Action Committee (NG591) | 01 Jan 1967 |
Tasmanian Conservation Trust (NG1129) | 01 Jan 1968 |
Federation of Tasmanian Bushwalking Clubs (NG2228) | 09 Nov 1968 |
Australian Plants Society Tasmania Incorporated (NG1972) | 30 Nov 1968 |
National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council (TA30) | 01 Jan 1971 |
National Parks and Wildlife Service (TA26) | 01 Nov 1971 | 01 May 1987 |
United Tasmania Group (NG2412) | 23 Mar 1972 | 31 Dec 1979 |
Office of the Minister for the Environment (TA401) | 03 May 1972 | 31 Jul 1989 |
Department of the Environment (TA349) | 01 Nov 1972 | 17 Jul 1989 |
Office of the Minister for National Parks, Wildlife and Heritage (TA414) | 17 Apr 1974 |
South West Advisory Committee (TA472) | 17 Nov 1975 | 31 Dec 1978 |
Tasmanian Film Corporation (TA179) | 01 Jan 1977 | 31 Dec 1982 |
Department of Premier & Cabinet (TA926) | 17 Jul 1989 |
Office of the Minister for Inland Fisheries (TA1544) | 01 Jan 1992 |
Tasmanian Greens (NG2160) | 01 Aug 1992 |
Series Created By Agency:
NS3600 Correspondence Files | 01 Jan 1960 | 31 Dec 1982 |
NS3605 Maps and Route Guides | 01 Jan 1960 | 31 Dec 1969 |
NS3604 Newspaper Cuttings | 01 Jan 1961 | 31 Dec 1984 |
NS3602 Minutes of Meetings | 12 Nov 1962 | 13 Feb 1978 |
NS3601 Annual Reports and Progress Reports | 15 Mar 1963 | 21 Apr 1970 |
NS3606 Printed Matter collected by the South-West Committee | 01 Jan 1970 | 31 Dec 1979 |
NS3607 Photographs Produced and collected by South-West Committee Members | 01 Jan 1970 | 31 Dec 1979 |