Franklin River

The Franklin River is a major river in Tasmania, Australia. It flows through the Central Highlands and western regions. This river sits inside the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. This park is part of a huge area called the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The river is a very important part of this wild land. It flows through remote and rugged mountains.

The river begins at the western edge of the Central Highlands. It rises below Mount Hugel, west of Derwent Bridge. From there, it flows west and south through the hills. The river eventually meets the Gordon River. Along the way, sixteen other rivers join the Franklin. These smaller rivers are called tributaries. Some of these names include the Surprise, Collingwood, and Lucan rivers.

People have visited this river for a long time. In the nineteenth century, explorers traveled the upper parts. They wanted to reach a place called Frenchmans Cap. In the early twentieth century, people used the lower parts for pine logging. By the middle of the century, adventurous people began canoeing there. They wanted to try the river's many hard challenges. A book called "Shooting The Franklin" tells of trips made in the 1950s.

The river has many special names for its parts. Canoers and rafters have named many bends and rapids. Some names include Livingstone Cut, Pig Trough, and The Forceit. Other spots are called Thunderrush, The Cauldron, and Devils Hole. In the upper reaches, the river is held by two reservoirs. These are named Lake Undine and Lake Dixon. The Lyell Highway also crosses the river in these upper areas.

The river is famous for a big fight to save it. In the 1980s, a large conservation movement began. People fought to stop Hydro Tasmania from building a dam. They wanted to protect the wilderness experience of the river. This battle became a very famous event in Australia. Because of these events, more people visited the river than ever before. This led to new, strict rules for everyone using the water.