A significant environmental campaign to stop the construction of the Franklin Dam on the Gordon River in Tasmania made headlines on February 13, 1983, after Canberra local Sandy Lolicato set out to campaign against the dam.
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In 1978, the Tasmanian Hydro Electric Commission announced plans to construct the dam. However, the idea polarised the community and led to national protests making their way to Canberra.
Sandy Lolicato, 20, of Aranda first began his protest movement with three other students by setting out on a 250-kilometre bicycle ride from Parliament House to Mount Kosciusko to raise funds for the Tasmanian Wilderness Society and its blockade against the proposed Franklin Dam, raising $1200.
His second task was his attempt to kayak around Lake Burley Griffin for 24 hours - that landed him a front-page photograph in The Canberra Times.
What was surprising about Mr Lolicato's feat was that he had been kayaking for less than a month and he seemed confident that he could kayak around Lake Burley Griffin for 24 hours.
His voyage was expected to cover 160 kilometres beginning at Regatta Point and ending at Commonwealth Park.
Mr Lolicato's modest environmental campaign soon paid off, contributing its part to the Franklin Dam becoming a federal issue causing a legal battle between the Tasmanian government and the federal government.
A landmark High Court decision in 1983 ruled in favour of the federal government and cancelled the Franklin Dam project.
