Dig — Saving The Franklin

Norm Sanders was considered an outsider when he entered the Tasmanian parliament during the Franklin era. He was American, a conservationist, and a member of the Australian Democrats.   In this interview, Norm shares his story, and what made him eventually crack and quit the job – paving the way for Bob Brown to take his place in parliament. 

The Lake Pedder campaign changed the course of a young Kevin Kiernan's life. His passion for the Tasmanian landscape saw him go from schoolboy activist to studying geomorphology and rediscovering Kutakina cave. In this extended interview, Kevin shares the lessons he learned as an activist and environmentalist through the Pedder and Franklin campaigns.

Lisa Yeates was on the water in one of the most iconic scenes from the Franklin River blockade: that moment the boat towing a bulldozer broke through a line of protesters floating on rafts. But she was also there for the months-long occupation of the river, as one of the most determined and devoted young activists. In this extended interview, Lisa Yeates takes us through her time living in the upriver camp with producer Piia Wirsu.

The Franklin campaign isn't just an environmental conservation story, it's also a story about Aboriginal heritage. Tasmanian Palawa man, activist and lawyer Michael Mansell talks to Piia Wirsu about this chapter in history, his experience growing up in a white Tasmanian society, and why he saw many of the Franklin activists as racist.