The future of the Australian Outback is at a crossroads. It can be shaped either by default and inaction or deliberately, preserving the natural, cultural and economic value of this irreplaceable landscape.
Households in outer-urban and remote areas of Australia are more likely to experience transport disadvantage than those in urban areas. This is due to a number of intersecting factors including higher travel costs and low public transport access rates.
Road Safety
Road safety is a critical issue for communities. Around the world, road traffic accidents kill about 1.3 million people each year and leave between 20-50 million people with severe injuries. Despite these tragic statistics, many of these accidents are preventable. Accurate analysis and safe road design help to ensure that everyone can travel safely and without fear.
The Outback is a vast and remote region of Australia that covers about 70% of the state. It encompasses the traditional lands of dozens of Indigenous nations and is home to some of the country’s most spectacular natural and cultural sites. It is also a challenging place to live, with high rates of poverty, social disconnection and substance abuse. This makes promoting safe and sustainable travel an important goal for the government and community.
A major challenge facing the region is its long distances. Often, outback roads are unsealed and difficult to navigate, leading to increased crash risks. Other challenges include a lack of access to education and training, which can lead to inequitable driver licensing and registration rates. This can result in unsafe in-car behaviours, such as passenger overcrowding and noncompliance with seatbelt use and child restraint mandates. The result is a higher risk of fatal crashes for Indigenous drivers and passengers.
Despite the long journeys, travelling through the Outback is an incredible experience. From the stunning vistas of the Stuart Highway to the vibrant colours of the dry salt lakes, there are many opportunities for sightseeing and photography. The best way to avoid fatigue is to break up the trip with regular stops, especially if you are driving for a long time.
In addition to reducing travel costs and minimizing the risk of accident-related injuries, road safety initiatives can also reduce healthcare expenditures. Fewer road traffic accidents will also lead to lower repair and maintenance costs for roadways, bridges and other transportation infrastructure. Safe and well-designed roadways promote efficient mobility, which can help cut congestion and improve traffic flow. This can ultimately reduce fuel consumption and pollution levels.
Accessibility
The Australian Outback has long been known as a unique and special part of the world. It is remote from major cities, with low population density and relatively unmodified natural environments. These landscapes, including Kakadu and Uluru, the central deserts, the Kimberley region and the vast Lake Eyre Basin, are internationally recognised for their significance to humankind.
They are also the source of some of Australia’s most significant and enduring cultural heritage. Yet these landscapes are now facing a number of challenges, including the impacts of climate change and the need to maintain environmental values. Those who are best positioned to protect the Outback are those who live in and value it, and actively care for it. These stewards, both indigenous and non-indigenous, need to be connected, supported and resourced.
Mobility is a fundamental human need, and it is essential that all people have access to transportation options. Disparities in the availability of transport options lead to individuals being unable to travel when and where they need to, resulting in social exclusion and disadvantage. While this is a widespread problem, there are some geographic areas that are more affected than others. This is commonly referred to as ‘transport disadvantage’, and it has been documented in urban, fringe and remote communities across Australia (Currie et al., 2010).
In particular, there is a need to consider the experience of Aboriginal people in relation to transport disadvantage. The majority of the Aboriginal population is located in remote communities, and this group are often disproportionately impacted by transport disadvantage. This is because they are more likely to live in geographically isolated regions, where accessibility is limited and infrastructure and services are underdeveloped.
Despite this, there are a number of strategies that can be employed to address Aboriginal transport disadvantage. This includes providing alternative modes of transport, supporting the establishment of community-based transport services, and implementing policy reforms that focus on the needs and interests of Indigenous people. This paper seeks to explore some of the challenges in achieving these strategies, and suggests some areas for future research.
Environmental Impact
An environmental impact is a change in the natural environment caused by an activity that can have negative effects on the air, water, soil, plants, animals, and people. The most common environmental impacts are pollution, contamination, and destruction of habitats. While pollution has become the most visible and measurable issue, many other environmental issues are less noticeable. These include the systematic reduction of Earth’s capacity to sustain life, or what Woodwell (1990) calls “biotic impoverishment.” A key step in reducing environmental impacts is environmental impact assessment (EIA). This process predicts and evaluates the potential environmental impacts of projects before they are undertaken, finds ways and means of avoiding these impacts, and shapes projects to suit the local environment. EIA also reduces costs by avoiding costly clean-ups and avoidable treatment and construction costs.
The EIA process is divided into four broad levels or stages: local level, recognition level, national level, and global level. Some impacts will be confined to the immediate area of a project, such as air pollution. These are studied at the local level. Other effects will be more widespread, such as those that deplete the ozone layer. These are analysed at the recognition level. Finally, there are impacts that affect the entire world, such as climate change, which are studied at the global level.
In addition to environmental impacts, transportation providers must comply with a wide range of regulations. This can make it difficult for new companies to enter the market and compete with established players. In addition, the industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, so transportation providers must find ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
South Australia’s outback is a place of incredible beauty and diversity. From the soaring cliffs of the Nullarbor Plain to the ancient organ pipes of the Gawler Ranges, there is something for everyone in this spectacular region. The Flinders Ranges, for example, are home to rugged mountain ranges and vast gorges that stretch north from Hawker.
The Outback Communities Authority (OCA) is a unique structure that manages and governs unincorporated areas in the state of South Australia. This region covers 63% of the state and is home to around 4,500 people who live in small townships and settlements including pastoral, farming, and tourism enterprises. The OCA structure combines aspects of traditional local government with community self-management and is funded by the federal government.
Sustainability
Sustainable transportation focuses on low and zero-emission modes of transport that are energy-efficient, affordable, and accessible. This type of transportation also reduces greenhouse emissions and air pollution. Additionally, it increases people’s health and well-being by encouraging them to exercise regularly and get more fresh air. It is also environmentally friendly, as it helps reduce traffic congestion and protects our natural environment.
Sustainable forms of transportation are also good for the economy, as they reduce the cost of fuel and maintenance. Moreover, they increase employment opportunities and economic integration. They also make communities more sustainable by reducing their dependence on the world’s natural resources and promoting local production of goods. Furthermore, sustainable forms of transport promote equality by giving everyone access to transportation regardless of their social and economic status.
In a survey conducted by Green Adelaide, respondents from rural and remote South Australian councils said that they were concerned about the impact of climate change on their roads. The survey was run in ten case study Local Governments representing coastal, inland, metropolitan, and regional areas. The findings indicated that the effect of median changes in temperature and rainfall on road infrastructure was likely to be relatively small.
The survey found that people want to take action to support sustainability in their communities, especially in schools. Educating for sustainability develops the knowledge, skills, values, and worldviews needed to live in a sustainable way. It also enables communities to identify ways they can contribute to sustainability.
Education for sustainability is an important part of creating a healthy, resilient, and sustainable city. It involves teaching children and adults about environmental, social, and economic systems and how they interconnect. It also teaches them how to take responsibility for their actions and understand the impacts of these choices.
The Outback Futures Project is an opportunity for regional stakeholders to identify what is wanted and needed for the long term sustainability of the outback as its own unique and autonomous region. It will engage with regional business and community leaders to collect and collate information that can be used in the preparation of a comprehensive consultation report to be considered by the Outback Communities Authority.
