Mapagama Taklukan Sungai Franklin Australia
Mapagama Taklukan Sungai Franklin Australia
Nature enthusiasts group of UGM (Mapagama) has successfully beaten the strong stream of Franklin River in Tasmania, Australia, in an expedition named as Pristine Wild Rivers at the end of November 2018.
The eight-days trip in the 125-Km river during the UGM International Expedition (UIE) 5 involved seven students. They were: Irfan Hafiyyansah (Law), Lutfi Perdana (Philosophy), Rais Kun Fajar PS (Engineering), Iqbal Setya Nugraha (Psychology), and Vocational School students: Suryo Abdi Pangestu, Laily Adhliya, and Dimas Satria W.
Expedition chairman, Irfan Hafiyyansah, said the Mapagama team departed for Australia on 14 November and arrived home on 30 November 2018. They had chosen the Franklin River for its natural sceneries and river component characteristics.
“Those things cannot be found in rivers in Indonesia,” he said on Thursday (6/12) at UGM.
He said Franklin River that lies in the Franklin-Godon National Park, Tasmania, had high humidity and cold temperature at night.
“During the journey, the team faced with hard condition different from the situation at home. These were humid and cold condition in addition to the unavailability of access to the outside world for eight days,” he explained.
Irfan said Franklin River was cleaner than the rivers he had explored in Indonesia. The clean environment, he said, was very protected by the Tasmanian local people. They were aware that the river can actually give plenty of benefits to life sustainability.
“There were several prohibitions to be adhered to while in Franklin River. All kinds of waste including human waste, had to be taken away, campfire is forbidden, no washing in the river, and more. The National Park would give you a big fine if you violate the rules,” he said.
He expIained the expedition in Franklin River in Australia had given them a new experience and positive impacts to the adventurous journey of the Mapagama team at the international level. It also added to their knowledge on how to manage the river well.