SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE RURAL-URBAN INTERDEPENDENCE PROBLEMS IN QUEENSLAND BY M. JUPPENLATZ DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE Volume I 1961 Number 1 HT 395 .A92Q34 1961 3 SON[E O-BSERVA l~ION~ ON ffHE RURAL .. URBAN INTER.DEPENDENCE PR()BLE_MS IN QU-EENSLAND: \/Vith particular reference to the Shire of Bowen and a method of procedure towards a rural-urban svnthesis by M. JUPPENLATZ A.A. Dipl. (Land.), A.IU.B.A., S.P. Dip!. (Land.), A.M.T.P.L Senior Lecturer in Architecture, University of Queensland University of Queensland Papers Department of Architecture Volume Number UNIVERSITY OF QlHSENSLAND PI{ESS St. Lucia 7th July, Hl61 Wholly set up and printed in Australia by WATSON, FERGUSON AND COMPANY Brisbane, Q. LO(H TABLE OF CONTENTS PART l.--SOME BACKGIWUND CIECUMSTANCES OF THE PROBLEM A. Introduction 5 B. The Spheres oT Influence Affecting Queensland [) C. The Nature of our Economic Systcm and Environment 7 D. The Inevitability of Planning in our Future Development 8 F Town Planning for l{ural Centres 10 F. Community Partieipation in the Planning Process 12 PART 2. -A RUEAL-UEBAN EXAMPLE IN QUEF~NSL;\ND A. A Pattern for thc Settlement Expansion oJ Queenslal1(l B. The Rural Assessment-A Simplified Prc)U~';s [or Hegional Analy.;is 2!l i. Definitions of Regional Example 2D ii. Selection of the Jurisdictional Unit 20 iii. The Shire of Bowen: tl,C Essential Maps 30 a. Physical Conditions :J5 b. Human Impact on the Region 3il c. Economic f,'actors of the Hcgion 3f; C. Urban Diag'nosis i. An Example of the Importance of the lJrban En virons :lG ii. The Town Survcy·-Physieal 37 iii. The Socio-Economic Survey 41 lV. The Graphical Compilation of the Survey 41 v. 'rlw Urban Analysis 42 a. Graphical Sieve Method 42 b. Employment Trends 43 n. The Syntllcsis of the Rural-Urban Relationship 44 i. The Statistical Structnre of Communities 44 ii. The Prospect Tor Investment Opporhmity 4n iIi. Employment Opportunity .. 47 iv. An Example of Prediction for Urban Growth by the Statistical Method 48 E. Synopsis of the Observations 5fi APPENDICES J\PPENDIX .A. Extract from an address by Charles Abrams, Professor of Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, U.S.A. at a U.N. Seminar on Regional Planning, Tokyo in 1958. Reg-ional Plann-ing Legislai'ion -in Under-deueloped A rea.s Gf ApPENDIX B. A Simplified Land Use Colour Notation ApPENDIX C. Bowen Eegional H.esearch and Promotion Bnrean .. -Quarterly Report of Exccntive 62 ApPENDIX U. Bowen and District Age Structure of Commll11itv ApPENDIX E. Climate of Bowen Gfi i-\PPENDIX F. Bowen---List of Social Organizations and Amenitie3 Gfi ApPENDIX G. Gross Densities of Brisbane Suburb3 Gi) ApPENDIX H. "Economic Survey of Port Denison", E'conorm:c News, April-May, J953 ApPENDIX 1. /,0((/.1 Government A cts, 19:~fi-54·, Part X I, Section 30, para. :~ 72 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ]. Major Rivers and Catchment Areas in Queensland 17 2. Selected Annual 1sohyets of Queensland L8 3. Cyclone Frequency throughout Queensland Hl 4. Drought Frequency throughout Queensland 20 fl. Land of Closer Settlement Capability 21 Ii. Distribution of Major Economic Minerals 22 7. 7flo Etlective Temperature-Jan.-June·-Queensland 8. 7flo Effective Temperature--July-December·-Queensland O. Settlement and Living Enviroument of Queensland 10. Existing Settlement Pattern throughout Queensland 21; 11. Zones of Common Architectural Problems in Queensland 27 12. Development Sectors of Queensland deserving of comprehensive .study 28 13. Shire of Bowen: Soil and Mineral Characteristics 31 14. Shire of Bowen: Distribution of Known Economic Minerals I fl. Shire of Bowen: Land Use Pattern I Ii. Shire of Bowen: Potential Land Use and Settlement 17. Environs of Bowen: Physical Characteristics 18. Environs 01 Bowen: Soil Classification 10. Town Survey Proforma 40 20. The Land Use and Occupational Structure 01 Some ~;electe(l Queensland Towns (Tabl" I) flO 21. Comparative Land Use Tables for Selected Towns in America and Cyprus (Table 2) "I 22. Graph of Mean Land Use a.nd C1'O,s Densities for Selected Towns 23. Shire of Bowen: Impact of Regional Development on the Urba.n Centre 54 24. Shire of Bowen: Prediction of Town Crowth on a Statistical Basis PART 1 SOME BACKGROUND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PROBLEM IA. Introduction This paper is intended to be the first in a series, in which it is proposed to examine the problems associated with creating a better human environment for settlement throughout Queensland. It is the result of a study begun in l!)58 as a research project, and, though in itself it is not intended to be conclusive, it is intended to illustrate the direction in which much more intensive research work is needed, and at the same time to illustrate a method of procedure for carrying out such work. One of the findings of the study to date is that there is an absence of any quantitative information on the problems of rural-urban interdependence. In the economy of most shires or jurisdictional areas in Queensland there exists a vital physical and socio-economic link between the areas of the productive sources and the node or centralized community of the region. These factors subsequently reflect on the economy of the state. An exact knowledge of the factors of such a relationship is a necessary prelude to any policy or action which could improve the economy or way of living in the regions. In analysing the problems of the existing rural-urban relationship in Queensland it is necessary to know something of the economic circumstances within which the towns and regions have grown, along with a knowledge of the existing spheres of influence and the influences from other spheres which are likely to affect the future trend of development. The study to date reveals the urgent necessity for strengthening the separate regional economies. It also appears that the challenges of distance and organization are far too great for a laissez-faire competitive economy to achieve any form of con­ tinuous and orderly advancement. Having in mind the human as well as the economic and physical factors which are still necessary to overcome the challenge of further economic development of the rural areas of Queensland, it is important that a great deal of additional knowledge on the settlement supporting capacity and the investment opportunity throughout the state be made available. From this know­ ledge, accurate and long term programs of action can be dmwn up. Members of the community, private organizations and the government all have a part to play in the implementation of such programs. There is no escaping the inevitability of planning, if a better rural-urban relationship is to be established. A vital com­ ponent of any such program is the community involved. Experience in other parts of the world illustrates that community participation in regional or urban develop­ ment programs can sometimes mean the difference between the success or failure of the project. The following observations on the rural-urban problems existing in Queensland at present are all of an introductory nature. It is hoped that much more detailed work can be carried out in the future on selected areas in Queensland and selected aspects of this study. As the problems of rural-urban interdependence in a given territory are essentially a consequence of the environmental economic circumstances and administrative and political systems pertaining to that territory, it is deemed necessary to prelude these observations with an outline of some of the circumstances within which Queensland is contained. The extent to which planning is used as an essential aid to om form of economic administration is also reviewed. lB. The Spheres of Influence Affecting Queensland It has become commonplace for lecturers in aspects of economic development, trade a:1c1 commerce, sociology or planning to prefix their comments with a review 6 M. JUPPENLATZ of the demographic survey of the world, and in particular to focus their attention on the mounting problem in South-East Asia. This paper makes no apology for not being an exception to that rule. Before many more years paos, Australia must surely become involved with the human problems of the East. The statistical returns and predictions contained in the United Nations Demographic Year Boole illustrate an increasingly dispropor­ tionate population growth between Asian ,countries and Australia. In 1950 an estimated population of l,272 minion was being supported on 1.1 million sq. miles of arable land in S.E. Asia. This population, on present trends, is growing to 2,210 million persons by 1975. The contrast with Australia should be noted for the popula­ tion of 9 million in 1950 is expected to rise to 14 rnillion over the same period on .8 million sq. miles of arable land,l in addition to extensive areas suitable for grazing sheep and cattle. By 1975 it is estimated that the urbanized population in centres of 20,000 and above in Asia is expected to be 920 million,2 compared with the equivalent urban centres in Australia of 8 million. This alone indicates the extent and scale of the economically developed and organized human centres where the minirnum subsistence requirements must be made available. It also gives an indication of the patterns of communications which must also be established if the continuous and adequate flow of survival necessities is to be maintained in order to help preserve political and administrative stability. In a world in which human and economic forces are beginning to generate such powerful motives of conflict, it can be justifiably asserted that any state which has not provided itself with a sound knowledge of its economic ability is not equipped to plan its own further economic development.