Draft:Lake Pedder National Park

Lake Pedder National Park was a national park in Tasmania, Australia, proclaimed on 8 March 1955 under section 7 of the Scenery Preservation Act 1915 . (IMAGE)

Lake Pedder National Park was created to protect the scenic values of the original Lake Pedder. At the time of its proclamation, the park was said to be approximately 59,000 acres (24,000 ha) in area. It was bounded by straight lines between the summits of Coronation Peak, Mount Helder, Harlequin Hill, Scotts Peak and Cinder Hill. (IMAGE) Modern digital mapping estimates the park's area as 66,459 acres (26,895 ha).

Lake Pedder National Park existed until 15 October 1968 when a further proclamation under the Scenery Preservation Act made 2 changes (IMAGE). Firstly, the area of the park was increased by about 8 times to approximately 473,500 acres (191,600 ha). Secondly, works carried out in the national park by or on behalf of the Hydro-Electric Commission were exempted from the protections applying to national parks and other scenic reserves under section 15 of the Scenery Preservation Act. The new, larger national park was to be known as Southwest National Park. (IMAGE)

The original Lake Pedder remained part of the national park, as it does to the present day despite its inundation in 1972 as part of the hydro-electric development. The state government's intention was that the lake's national park status would no longer prevent the hydro-electric development (REFER DEVELOPMENT EARLIER).

Despite their name, most Australian national parks are declared, and are able to be revoked or modified, under state legislation, although additional Federal protections may apply, such as to areas that have World Heritage status.