Mr Cundall, 83, of Rosevears, and co- accused Molly Taylor, 57, of Hobart, were yesterday found guilty of failing to comply with the direction of a police officer but convictions were not recorded.

They were also ordered to pay $47.60 each in court costs.

The pair were among 57 protesters arrested outside Parliament House and have argued police were wrong to make the arrests.

The case against Cundall and Taylor was a test case for the other protesters.

Outside the court, Cundall said he and Taylor had been found guilty of standing up for the truth and justice.

"The protest and the battle against the pulp mill will never stop and we'll never give in," he said.

"As far as I and the others are concerned, we'll do everything we can, as we've always done, not to break the law."

Magistrate Chris Webster said the group of protesters did not seek permission or make a booking in accordance with the usual protocol to hold such a demonstration and that the demonstrators located themselves immediately outside the entry to the building.

"Their presence in the immediate vicinity of the entrance to Parliament House could have deterred persons from entering Parliament House," he said.

Mr Webster also said video evidence showed a "chaotic scene with no readily apparent pathway to the entrance of Parliament".

Speaker of the House of Assembly, Michael Polley, said everyone was entitled to protest outside Parliament House provided the protest was in the Parliament House Gardens, away from the main entrance.

"The only reason they were told to move down to the parkland was for safety reasons," he said.

"When Parliament is sitting, hundreds of people are moving in and out."

Mr Cundall retired in 2008 as the presenter of the ABC TV program Gardening Australia.