Olegas Truchanas
Encyclopedia
Olegas Truchanas was a Lithuania
n-Australia
n conservationist and nature photographer.
He was a key figure in the attempt to stop the damming of the ecologically sensitive Lake Pedder
in South West Tasmania
by the Hydro Electricity Commission
. His photographs, along with those of his protege, Peter Dombrovskis
, helped raise public awareness of the importance of the south-west Tasmania.
gymnasium. After the 1945 fall of Lithuania to the USSR, he fled to Munich
, Germany
. Though he enrolled in a law degree at UNRRA
University, he was sent to a displaced persons camp, and subsequently migrated to Tasmania
in 1948.
Upon arriving in Tasmania, Truchanas worked for a zinc company
in Hobart
for two years, as was necessary under Australian migration law of the time. It was at this time that he began to take an interest in the Tasmanian wilderness.
and Gordon Splits
in recorded history.
Most of Truchanas' early photographs were destroyed when his house was destroyed in the Hobart bushfire
in 1967. However, over the next five years, he substantially rebuilt his collection of photos of the Lake Pedder area. Though, as a clerk temporarily employed by the Hydro Electricity Commission
, Truchanas was forbidden to speak about the increasing controversy surrounding the impending damming, his photographs began to play an important role in publicity for the campaign. He was once quoted as stating "This vanishing world is beautiful beyond our dreams and contains in itself rewards and gratifications never found in an artificial landscape or man-made objects."
After taking what are now among the only remaining records of the pre-dam Lake Pedder, Truchanas realised that the campaign was lost, and turned his attention to the Pieman, Gordon and Franklin Rivers. In 1972, Truchanas drowned in the Gordon River after slipping and falling into the current. His body was found, trapped beneath a log, by his protege, Peter Dombrovskis.
Truchanas' story, along with that of his colleague Dombrovskis, was depicted in a 2003 documentary, Wildness. In the same year, a tribute, The Forest of Stumps, by artist Geoff Parr, was exhibited at Hobart's Ten Days on the Island
arts festival, including a number of Truchanas' photographs.
Some of his photographs have been turned into postage stamps by Australia Post
, and a canoe used by Truchanas, and several other possessions, are part of the National Library of Australia
's National Historical Collection. Singer-songwriter Bruce Watson stated, in his song Olegas, "the Franklin runs today because of what [Truchanas] began."
In 2007 IHOS Music Theatre and Opera staged excerpts from a major opera, Olegas, based on the life of Olegas Truchanas.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n-Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n conservationist and nature photographer.
He was a key figure in the attempt to stop the damming of the ecologically sensitive Lake Pedder
Lake Pedder
Lake Pedder was once a natural lake, located in the southwest of Tasmania, Australia but the name is now used in an official sense to refer to the much larger artificial impoundment and diversion lake formed when the original lake was expanded by damming in 1972 by the Hydro Electric Commission of...
in South West Tasmania
South West Tasmania
South West Tasmania is a region in Tasmania that has evolved over the fifty years between its consideration as a potential resource for development to its consideration as World Heritage wilderness...
by the Hydro Electricity Commission
Hydro Tasmania
Hydro Tasmania, known for most of its history as The HEC, is the government owned enterprise which is the predominant electricity generator in the state of Tasmania, Australia...
. His photographs, along with those of his protege, Peter Dombrovskis
Peter Dombrovskis
Peter Dombrovskis was an Australian photographer, most notably of Tasmanian scenes. In 2003 he was the only Australian photographer inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame....
, helped raise public awareness of the importance of the south-west Tasmania.
Early life
Truchanas was born in Lithuania. At 1941 he graduated ŠiauliaiŠiauliai
Šiauliai , is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.-Names:...
gymnasium. After the 1945 fall of Lithuania to the USSR, he fled to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Though he enrolled in a law degree at UNRRA
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration was an international relief agency, largely dominated by the United States but representing 44 nations. Founded in 1943, it became part of the United Nations in 1945, was especially active in 1945 and 1946, and largely shut down...
University, he was sent to a displaced persons camp, and subsequently migrated to Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
in 1948.
Upon arriving in Tasmania, Truchanas worked for a zinc company
Zinifex
Zinifex was an Australian company which operated two zinc and lead mines, three zinc refineries and a lead smelter. It was created following the insolvency of Pasminco in 2002, taking on Pasminco operations. In 2008 it merged with Oxiana Limited to form OZ Minerals.-History:Zinifex was the...
in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
for two years, as was necessary under Australian migration law of the time. It was at this time that he began to take an interest in the Tasmanian wilderness.
South West Tasmania
In 1958, Truchanas became the first person to kayak the length of the dangerous SerpentineSerpentine River, Tasmania
Serpentine River is a tributary river in South West Tasmania of the Gordon River and linked in with the damming Lake Pedder.It was dammed at the Serpentine Dam, Tasmania-References:...
and Gordon Splits
Gordon Splits
Gordon Splits is a notable section of the Gordon River in South West Tasmania.It is world heritage listed, and is part of the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park...
in recorded history.
Most of Truchanas' early photographs were destroyed when his house was destroyed in the Hobart bushfire
1967 Tasmanian fires
The 1967 Tasmanian fires were an Australian natural disaster which occurred on 7 February 1967, an event which became known as the Black Tuesday bushfires...
in 1967. However, over the next five years, he substantially rebuilt his collection of photos of the Lake Pedder area. Though, as a clerk temporarily employed by the Hydro Electricity Commission
Hydro Tasmania
Hydro Tasmania, known for most of its history as The HEC, is the government owned enterprise which is the predominant electricity generator in the state of Tasmania, Australia...
, Truchanas was forbidden to speak about the increasing controversy surrounding the impending damming, his photographs began to play an important role in publicity for the campaign. He was once quoted as stating "This vanishing world is beautiful beyond our dreams and contains in itself rewards and gratifications never found in an artificial landscape or man-made objects."
After taking what are now among the only remaining records of the pre-dam Lake Pedder, Truchanas realised that the campaign was lost, and turned his attention to the Pieman, Gordon and Franklin Rivers. In 1972, Truchanas drowned in the Gordon River after slipping and falling into the current. His body was found, trapped beneath a log, by his protege, Peter Dombrovskis.
Legacy
He had lived to see the failure of the Lake Pedder and Pieman River campaigns, although the actual damming did not occur until after his death. However, the campaign to stop the Franklin Dam, and thus save the Gordon and Franklin rivers, was to be ultimately successful. After his death, a book of his work was published, with an initial print run of 5,000 copies. Eight further editions sold out.Truchanas' story, along with that of his colleague Dombrovskis, was depicted in a 2003 documentary, Wildness. In the same year, a tribute, The Forest of Stumps, by artist Geoff Parr, was exhibited at Hobart's Ten Days on the Island
10 Days on the Island
Ten Days on the Island is Tasmania’s state-wide biennial multi art-form festival. A unique event in Australia, Ten Days is a celebration of culture in Tasmania. With almost 250 events in 99 venues in over 50 locations, 195,000 Tasmanians and visitors took part in the 2009 event.Ten Days was the...
arts festival, including a number of Truchanas' photographs.
Some of his photographs have been turned into postage stamps by Australia Post
Australia Post
Australia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
, and a canoe used by Truchanas, and several other possessions, are part of the National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
's National Historical Collection. Singer-songwriter Bruce Watson stated, in his song Olegas, "the Franklin runs today because of what [Truchanas] began."
In 2007 IHOS Music Theatre and Opera staged excerpts from a major opera, Olegas, based on the life of Olegas Truchanas.
Main publication
- Angus, Max (Editor: Norman Laird)(1975), The World of Olegas Truchanas Hobart : Olegas Truchanas Publication Committee. ISBN 0959821201
Pedder collection
- http://protocat.nla.gov.au/Record/3885846 Photograph collection held by the National Library of Australia
Further reading
- Lines, William J. (2006) Patriots : defending Australia's natural heritage St. Lucia, Qld. : University of Queensland Press, 2006. ISBN 0-70223-554-7