subject: Land Development In Australia [print this page] Australias land use and development patterns are primarily determines by rainfall. About 1 quarter of the total Australian land is desert and not used for agricultural or industrial purposes. Approximately 62% Australia is agricultural; with the major portion comprising of live stock grazing pastures. Another 16% is reserved land while 2.4 million hectares (0.3% land) comprise of built environment. Within these 2.4 million hectares of built environment, about 80% of Australian population resides.
The built environment region of Australia is subjected to intense land development as it is the center of urban and sub-urban development. The government of Australia established the Land and Water Australia (LWA) in 1990 as one of the rural research and development authority. The LWA basically deals with development in Australias agricultural production by land development of the agricultural zones in the country.
The department of regional development and land, an organization under the government of Western Australia, has been actively participating in many land development projects in the region. The main objective of this organization is to develop land for sustainable economic and social growth. An example is the Ord-East Kimberley development plan worth some 17 billion USD. The plan aims to increase irrigation area to provide new opportunities for growth in the region.
The Pilbara Cities project is another land development project in Western Australia. This scheme is concerned with development of the Pilbara region as major industrial cities offering attractive work options for skilled labor across the country. The cities will participate in many economic projects.
Land development in the Western Australia is done under the guidance of Regional Development Council. The council plans and advises the western Australian government about possible and feasible land development options in the region. Many successful development projects have been launched by the government in the recent years.
Due to native climatic conditions, Australian soils tend to be dry and infertile. Therefore, dry agriculture is practiced in most regions of the country. 13.4 percent land is protected in the form of forests, natural game reserves and wildlife resorts. Inland water bodies comprise only about 0.6% of the total land area.
As land development becomes more and more crucial and central to Australian government planning, biodiversity, transport, climate and infrastructure are bearing the brunt of it. If Australia wishes to preserve the abundant wildlife and biodiversity, it is time to revise the land development policies. Although legislations regarding mitigation of climate change, housing affordability and efficient transportation system are being passed in the government, a lot has to be done to accommodate for the losses suffered due to development in the region. While economic development and social stability come as benefits of the land development process in Australia, they also bring along problems such as loss of wildlife, forests, decreasing transportation efficiency climate change and inflation.
