The ghost cities of Australia : a survey of new city proposals and their lessons for Australia's 21st century development

This book examines failed new city proposals in Australia to understand the hurdles – environmental, societal, and economic – that have curtailed such visions. The lessons from these relative failures are important because, if projections for Australia’s 21st century population growth are borne out, we will need to build new cities this century. This is particularly the case in northern Australia, where the federal government projects a four-fold increase in population in the next four decades. The book aims that, when we commence 21st century new city dreaming, we have learnt from the mistakes of the past and, are not doomed to repeat them. Preface 7 Acknowledgements 8 Contents 9 About the Author 12 1 Introduction 13 Abstract 13 1.1 New Cities 13 1.1.1 New City Building in Australia 14 1.2 Method 16 1.2.1 Scope and Terminology 18 References 19 2 Creating a Rural Civilization 20 Abstract 20 2.1 Creating a “Rural Civilization” 20 2.2 The Case for a Rural Civilization 21 2.2.1 A Vast Rural Bounty 21 2.2.2 The Pathologies of the Capital Cities 22 2.2.3 The Ideal Rural Citizenry 23 2.2.4 Populate or Perish 24 2.3 The Ghost Cities of a Rural Civilization 24 2.3.1 The Garden City Model 25 2.3.2 Garden City Propositions 25 2.3.3 Brady’s Mallacoota 26 2.3.4 Hatfield’s Interior Cities 28 2.3.5 Idriess’ Interior Railway Cities 31 2.3.6 Idriess’ Interior Lake Cities 34 2.4 The Results of Attempts to Forge a Rural Civilization 36 2.4.1 Land Degradation 36 2.4.2 A Continued Drift to the Capital Cities 36 2.5 Key Barriers to Developing New Cities (1901–1945) 37 2.5.1 Overestimated Population-Carrying Capacity 37 2.5.2 The Tyranny of Distance 37 2.5.3 Imported City Models 38 2.5.4 The Livability of Coastal Cities 38 2.6 Conclusion 40 References 40 3 Decentralization Fever 43 Abstract 43 3.1 The Case for Decentralization 43 3.1.1 An Urban Crisis in the Capital Cities 44 3.1.2 Population Overconcentration 45 3.1.3 Deteriorating Environments 45 3.1.4 Pathologies 46 3.1.5 Congestion 47 3.1.6 Societal Segmentation 47 3.1.7 Vulnerability in War 47 3.2 Decentralization as the Answer to Cities in Crisis 48 3.2.1 The Exemplar of Canberra 49 3.3 The DURD’s Ghost Cities of Decentralization 49 3.3.1 Albury–Wodonga 50 3.3.2 Monarto 53 3.4 State Government-Networked Cities in the Northwest 56 3.4.1 Paradise Well 58 3.4.2 Shay Gap 59 3.5 The Results of Decentralization Fever 60 3.6 Key Barriers to Developing New or Boosted Cities (1970–1975) 62 3.6.1 Psychological Hurdles 62 3.6.2 The Continued Livability of the State Capital Cities 63 3.6.3 Competition from Other Towns and Cities 64 3.6.4 Centralizing Economic Forces 65 3.6.5 Uncoordinated Federal- and State-Level Planning 66 3.7 Conclusion 66 References 67 4 New Northern Cities 69 Abstract 69 4.1 A Northern Initiation 69 4.2 New or Boosted Cities in the North 71 4.3 Capital Cities 72 4.3.1 Australian Northern Eco City 73 4.4 Charter Cities 75 4.4.1 Galt’s Gulch Lite 75 4.4.2 Dilga 78 4.4.3 Refuge City 80 4.5 Mining Cities 82 4.5.1 Karratha “City of the North” 84 4.5.2 Rebranding Karratha 85 4.5.3 Karratha’s Progress 89 4.6 Lifestyle Cities 90 4.6.1 The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast 91 4.6.2 Boom Boom Broome 91 4.6.3 Lord McAlpine’s Broome 93 4.7 Satellite Cities 94 4.7.1 Weddell 94 4.7.2 Weddell Worries 95 4.8 Conclusion 96 References 96 5 Barriers to New Northern Cities 101 Abstract 101 5.1 General Barriers to Developing New Cities in the North 101 5.2 Environmental Barriers 102 5.2.1 Carrying Capacity Limitations 102 5.2.2 Carrying Capacity and Climate Change 104 5.3 Economic Barriers 106 5.3.1 The Expense of Providing Infrastructure 106 5.3.2 A Lack of Compelling Economic Drivers (and Jobs) 107 5.3.3 Special Economic Zones and the Constitution 109 5.4 Societal Barriers 110 5.4.1 The Livability of New Northern Cities 110 5.4.2 A Lack of Support for Foreign Investment and Immigration 112 5.4.3 Potential Resistance from Existing Residents 113 5.4.4 Potential Resistance from Indigenous Landholders 114 5.5 Governance Barriers 115 5.5.1 Fragmented and Short-Term Planning 115 5.6 Conclusion 117 References 117 6 Relearning Lessons 121 Abstract 121 6.1 A Summation of the Barriers 121 6.2 The Need for a Vision 123 6.2.1 Listen to the Land, Listen to the People 124 6.3 Conclusion 126 References 126 Front Matter ....Pages i-xv Introduction (Julian Bolleter)....Pages 1-7 Creating a Rural Civilization (Julian Bolleter)....Pages 9-31 Decentralization Fever (Julian Bolleter)....Pages 33-58 New Northern Cities (Julian Bolleter)....Pages 59-90 Barriers to New Northern Cities (Julian Bolleter)....Pages 91-110 Relearning Lessons (Julian Bolleter)....Pages 111-117