Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Gordon Dam** on the **Gordon River** in **southwestern Tasmania** is **Australia's largest dam by storage capacity** and one of its tallest arch dams.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Double-curvature concrete arch dam |
| Height (crest) | 140 m (459 ft) |
| Crest Length | 198 m (650 ft) |
| Base Width | 18 m (59 ft) |
| Reservoir | Lake Gordon |
| Gross Capacity | 12,492,934 ML (12.5 km³ / 9.95 million acre-ft) |
| Active Capacity | 11,316,000 ML |
| Catchment Area | 1,280 km² |
| Power Station | Gordon Power Station (432 MW, 3 × 144 MW Francis turbines) |
| Annual Generation | ~1,800 GWh (~13% of Tasmania's electricity) |
| Construction | 1974–1978 (Hydro-Electric Commission) |
Gordon Dam was the **flashpoint of Australia's first major environmental campaign** — the **Franklin River dispute (1979–83)**. The proposed **Franklin-below-Gordon Dam** would have flooded the Franklin River wilderness. **High Court (1983)** upheld federal World Heritage legislation, stopping it. Gordon Dam itself flooded Lake Pedder (1972) — earlier controversy.
Gordon Dam is a **monument of mid-century hydro-industrial ambition** — now operating within a World Heritage Area that almost wasn't. Its waters power Tasmania's clean grid while the Franklin runs free beside it.