in 1979, tasmania's hydro-electricity commission released a proposal to dam and inundate the gordon () and franklin () rivers, leading the tasmanian wilderness society and other conservation groups to mobilize one of australia's largest conservation battles and acts of civil disobedience, focused heavily on "...the protection of the franklin river, one of australia’s last truly wild rivers..." resulting in the river being world heritage listed (as part of the tasmanian wilderness world heritage area) and a subsequent australian high court decision preventing the damming of this wild river.