Gordon-Pedder

The combination of Lake Gordon and Lake Pedder is both the largest water storage in our system and the largest in Australia. This catchment is in south-west Tasmania.

The water in Lake Pedder provides around 40% of the water used in the Gordon Power Station. The water flows from Lake Pedder into Lake Gordon through McPartlan Pass Canal.

Lake Pedder was originally flooded as part of the Gordon power scheme. There was widespread opposition to this action from conservation groups at the time. In 1995 a Federal parliamentary inquiry investigated the feasibility of restoring the original Lake Pedder. The inquiry found no compelling biological conservation or environment protection reasons to restore the original Lake Pedder. Read the full House of Representatives report (PDF).

Gordon Power Station

Gordon is the largest power station in Tasmania. It is 183 metres underground, and has 432 MW of generating capacity supplied by an 80-metre vertical channel.

The dam on the Gordon River is a 140-metre high concrete arch. Water is fed through a 137-metre vertical shaft from Lake Gordon and sent downstream into the Gordon River through a 1.6-kilometre long tunnel.

Date commissioned	1977-88
Generating capacity	432 MW
Number of turbines	3
Type of turbines	Francis hydropower

Gordon Power Station_Gordon Dam under construction

Gordon-Power-Station_At-the-foot-of-Gordon-Dam

Gordon-Power-Station_The-intake-tower on Lake Gordon