Olegas Truchanas (1923-1972), photographer and conservationist, came to Australia in 1948 having fled Lithuania during World War 2. Settling in Hobart, he bought a camera and began to explore. Among his notable undertakings were a solo climb of Federation Peak – an awesomely precipitous quartzite monolith at the south-eastern end of the Arthur Range – in 1952; and the first known journey down the Serpentine and Gordon Rivers from Lake Pedder to Strahan on the west coast – an epic solo paddle Truchanas accomplished in a kayak he designed and built himself. As a volunteer instructor Truchanas taught canoeing, photography and bushcraft to many Tasmanian boys. In the early 1960s the Hydro Electric Commission and Premier 'Electric Eric' Reece announced a plan to dam the rivers of South-West Tasmania and flood Lake Pedder. Truchanas's images were widely shown in a strong, yet ultimately unsuccessful bid to save the unique area. Another of his solo battles, to save a Huon pine forest in the South-West, was won in 1971. Now the Truchanas Huon Pine Forest, it lies in the Wild Rivers National Park. At the age of 49, Truchanas died accidentally while canoeing on the Gordon.
Purchased 2005
© Estate of Ralph Hope-Johnstone
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves.
22 May 2020
Ensconced and meditative in crisp Tasmania, Joanna Gilmour pays tribute to passionate green advocate and photographer Olegas Truchanas.
Dr Sarah Engledow examines a number of figures in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery who were pioneers or substantial supporters of the seminal Australian environmental campaigns of the early 1970s and 1980s.
