Australia Urban Decline

Australia is an extremely urbanised country; about 85 per cent of the population lives in coastal areas, and most of these people live in urban areas with populations of over 100 000 people. This accounts for only about 1 % of Australia 's total landmass. This level of urban growth is putting much pressure on cities to keep up with the needs of the growing populations. Though some areas of cities are being subjected to urban growth, other areas may be experiencing the effects urban decline. The suburb of Pyrmont-Ultimo in Sydney is a good example of urban growth and decline and its geological processes.

Urban growth is the increasing size of a city either in terms of an increase in population or an increase in its extent through the creation
Abandoned former factories, shops and buildings start to decay and become derelict and useless due to disuse and no maintenance. This process of decentralisation and urban decay occurred in Pyrmont-Ultimo in the 1950s as industry started to move out into the suburbs which caused a major decline in population. By the 1990s Pyrmont-Ultimo 's population had decreased to approximately 900 residents from the 30000 people living there in
Urban sprawl is the expanding of a city and taking up a large area of land for a given population which means infrastructure and services such as roads, water, sewerage, telephones, electricity and gas lines must be extended at great cost to the community. Urban sprawl also results in the loss of natural environment and ecosystems leaving less green space.

The developing of high-rise apartments and high density housing are used to counter the effects of urban sprawl through a process called urban consolidation. This planning strategy can decrease some of the infrastructure and equity problems saving the community time and money and also preserving some of the green space. Urban consolidation allows more people to live in a smaller area of land but in a more compacted