Urban Growth and Decline

Geographical Processes

School Certificate Major Issue

Urban Growth in Australia Refers to: the spread of cities outwards AND the growth of new urban areas in parts of the country that were once rural Most of the largest cities (State Capitals) are on the coast in Australia and are growing most rapidly

Regional centres and smaller towns are found in important areas of agriculture, mining or tourism. Some of these are growing, but others are declining

Geographical Processes

Associated with Urban Growth Suburbanisation and Urban Sprawl Urban Consolidation De-centralisation Associated with Urban Decline Urban Decay Urban renewal Gentrification

Geographical Processes associated with Urban

Growth e.g. in Sydney

Refers to outward growth of large cities from a central location (CBD) and the formation of SUBURBS often with their own suburban business district (SBD) Associated with spread of residential land Most suburbs have some industrial land, community facilities like schools, churches and hospitals, and recreational landuse like parks and sports fields Was slower before the widespread use of the car in the 1960s. Early suburbs followed the railway lines. Since then: population growth from natural increase, rural-urban migration or immigration a desire for a home on a quarter acre block dependence on the car Governments (State and local) of cities like Sydney have now introduced Plans to control this growth.

Suburbanisation

How Sydney has grown through suburbanisation

(shown by orange shading)

Hornsby Plateau

Blue Mountains

Central Business District (CBD)

Cumberland Plain

Woronora Plateau

Qu. In which direction has Sydney been able to grow most rapidly? Why?

Urban Sprawl Refers to the uncontrolled growth of suburbs on

the city edge (rural urban fringe) Creates problems of: infrastructure provision like roads, water,

electricity and waste management, as well as social services like schools, hospitals and recreation facilities

traffic congestion, long journeys to work, pollution (mainly from cars), isolated communities with lack of services on the city edge, and destruction of farmland and natural ecosystems

Urban sprawl What is the message of this cartoon?

Urban sprawl on the rural-urban fringe

Identify some of the social, economic and environmental issues that would be associated with this type of urban growth.

New development area planned

Rural-urban fringe Camden, SW Sydney

What are the advantages and disadvantages of living on the rural-urban fringe?

Sydneys growth history. The orange area is the projected growth of the city by 2031 if urban sprawl is not checked.

How can growth from urban

sprawl be controlled?

The State Government of NSW has introduced two policies

Urban Consolidation

Decentralisation

Urban Consolidation

Introduced by the NSW State Government in the1990s to increase population densities in areas of Sydney where people live already

Areas selected include for this process are: Central Business District (CBD), Established residential suburbs of the middle

part of the city Old factory/port sites in the inner city which are

lying idle

Urban Consolidation in Sydney CBD

What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in these tower blocks?

Killara Sydney Describe the typical suburban scene on the left. Describe the type of buildings now encouraged under a policy of urban consolidation below

Urban Consolidation in the Northern Suburbs Established Residential Area

Townhouses in Killara. Suggest why these are popular types of residential development in areas of urban consolidation.

Other forms of Urban Consolidation

Duplex-style units. How do they differ from town houses? What are dual occupancies and granny flats?

Urban consolidation in St. Ives. Why has this location been selected for new urban growth in Ku-ring-gai?

Urban consolidation Cecil Street, Gordon What groups of people would favour this type of development and which ones would be opposed?

Urban consolidation in Hornsby and Chatswood

What type of urban consolidation has taken place here high, medium or low density?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of urban consolidation?

Hornsby

Chatswood

Advantages of urban consolidation

Reduces urban sprawl Uses infrastructure

already existing (roads, sewage lines, electricity, water supplies)

Gives people more choice of housing (families are getting smaller and the population is ageing)

Residents are closer to jobs and all city amenities

Travel time to work is reduced.

Disadvantages of urban consolidation

Much infrastructure in inner city areas is old and already overused!

Traffic congestion increases

Traditional character of suburbs changes with high rise development

Loss of privacy and overshadowing in former low density suburbs

Small areas of remaining bushland in existing suburbs are threatened

Urban growth in other urban areas in Australia

Has largely been the result of two geographical

processes:

1. Decentralisation from large cities like Sydney (Government Policy)

2. Urban rural migration (decisions by individuals to undergo a treechange or seachange)

Decentralisation Another policy introduced in the 1980s to control Sydneys urban sprawl and attract urban growth in regional areas

People and businesses moving to Bathurst/Orange and Albury/Wodonga were given concessions to draw them away from large cities

Both regional centres have productive agricultural hinterlands and are on main route ways to major the cities of Sydney and Melbourne

Established populations were to provide the work force for new industry

A view over Albury Wodonga. Why do you think that decentralisation has not been very successful?

Recent regional urban growth Gold Coast

Why has this urban region grown so rapidly in recent decades?

New growth area in Western Australia Mandurah, SW of Perth

Why have urban regions in Western Australia grown rapidly recently? What are some concerns of rapid growth in coastal areas?

Some answers Why have coastal areas

grown? Major cities : are getting too big are too expensive to live in

(housing/ rents are high) create long, journeys to work have high levels of traffic

congestion, pollution and crime Coastal areas Offer cheaper, more attractive

lifestyles ( a Sea change! i.e. urban rural migration

has taken place Decentralisation is being

encouraged

Issues of development on coasts

(Think of your study completed at

Collaroy last year) Coasts are fragile ecosystems

which are easily damaged by humans

Beaches and dune systems are unstable and urban development is under threat in storms

Coastal amenity is lost with too much development

Growth of Regional Centres e.g.Mudgee and Dubbo in NSW

Why would these inland urban centres have grown recently?

Mudgee

Dubbo

Some answers Why have these two regional centres grown?

Mudgee Has always been a

prosperous farming area in the sheep-wheat belt of NSW

Has grown recently as a wine producing region many former city residents going to the country for a Tree change!

Dubbo Has become an

important regional centre for the Central West region

Growth recently has been as a major warehousing and distribution centre. Western Plains Zoo has also opened up.

Urban Decline

Has occurred in:

a. Large cities like Sydney and Melbourne

b. Small regional towns in Australia

Urban Decline in Large Cities Sometimes known as urban decay

Associated with older, inner city residential areas

or industrial/port suburbs Become run down and neglected when factories

and port industries close and people lose jobs. Unemployment often leads to other social problems

Governments of large Australian cities have sought to redevelop these areas

Redeveloped areas have become ideal locations for urban consolidation

The (old) Rocks- first settled area in Sydney

Why did this area become one of urban decay?

Urban Renewal Introduced to restore the built environment and

the quality of life of people in former areas of urban decline/decay

Structures in old factory sites and port areas, old

warehouses and power stations have either been pulled down and replaced with new buildings and facilities - a process known as redevelopment

OR refurbished - a process known as gentrification

New residents have moved in

What urban process has occurred in this part of Sydney? How has the landuse changed? What have been the benefits of this type of development to Sydney?

The Rocks area today

Balmain industrial suburb in the 1960s. Identify different types of land use.

Example of Urban Renewal - The old Distillery at Balmain

What is a distillery? What has it now been converted into?

Old warehouse at Woolloomooloo What has it been converted into? What would be the advantage of living here?

Before

After

Gentrified Cottage in Balmain

Urban Renewal - Darling Harbour What type of landuse is evident today? What was here before?

Rhodes Pennsula Before After

What urban process has taken place here?

Gentrification a form of urban renewal

Takes place on older buildings regarded as part of the cultural heritage of an area. Residents wish to preserve them

Front of buildings usually kept as it was, but other parts usually restored to modern standards

Value of gentrified buildings now much higher than before and so old residents are usually forced to leave the area

Newer, more affluent residents move in

A gentrified house in Glebe. Why is it so small? Would you like to live in this house? Explain your reasons.

Old Sydney terraces in

Woolloomooloo.

Why did this part of Sydney become an area of urban decay? Why would it have been a suitable location for urban renewal?

Gentrified terraces in Melbourne. What aspects of our cultural heritage are being preserved here?

Urban Decline in Regional centres

Smaller towns in the Wheat Belt have declined because of drought and low farm profits. People have left for larger regional centres or coastal cities e.g. from Trangie NSW

Many mining centres have declined and people have left e.g. Broken Hill in NSW

Some major industries like steel have declined e.g. at Newcastle(NSW) and Whyalla(S.A.)

Urban areas are always changing

It is very important that governments and local councils plan for this growth

AND That the growth is sustainable i.e. Peoples needs must be met and the

environment must also be protected both now and in the future

Urban Growth and DeclineGeographical ProcessesUrban Growth in AustraliaGeographical ProcessesSlide Number 4Slide Number 5 How Sydney has grown through suburbanisation(shown by orange shading)Urban SprawlUrban sprawl Urban sprawl on the rural-urban fringe Slide Number 10Slide Number 11How can growth from urban sprawl be controlled?Urban ConsolidationUrban Consolidation in Sydney CBD Slide Number 15Slide Number 16Slide Number 17Slide Number 18Slide Number 19Urban consolidation in Hornsby and ChatswoodSlide Number 21Slide Number 22DecentralisationSlide Number 24Recent regional urban growth Gold Coast Slide Number 26Some answersGrowth of Regional Centres e.g.Mudgee and Dubbo in NSWSome answersWhy have these two regional centres grown?Slide Number 30Urban Decline in Large CitiesThe (old) Rocks- first settled area in SydneyUrban RenewalSlide Number 34Slide Number 35Slide Number 36Slide Number 37Gentrified Cottage in BalmainSlide Number 39Rhodes PennsulaGentrification a form of urban renewalSlide Number 42Slide Number 43Slide Number 44 Urban Decline in Regional centresUrban areas are always changing