Jim:
1) I traveled around Australia for several weeks a few years ago. Australia’s main problem as a survival retreat is shown by a comparison of its population with that of its neighbors to the north:
a) Australia: 20.5 million
b) Neighbors: 1,869 Million
( China: 1,321 million, Indonesia: 223 million , Vietnam: 85 million,
Malaysia: 27 million, Philippines: 85 million, Japan: 128 million )
Note that the invasion route to Australia from Asia is a chain of islands with short distances between them.
Australia would probably have been occupied by the Japanese in WWII if not for the US Navy and would probably be invaded within a decade if the US Navy ever withdrew.
The technological advantage over Asia that Australia had 150 years ago has largely disappeared — as has the Royal Navy.
2) The second thing to realize is that many of the eastern coastal strips that receive rainfall consist of extremely rugged terrain — networks of deep canyons with vertical sides and narrow ridges.
I would hate to be caught in one of those box canyons if a wildfire erupted in the extremely dry, eucalyptus forests. The area of useful farmland is even smaller than would appear from a country-scale map.
Other hazards include some extremely ill-tempered vipers and brushwood that has poisonous splinters. As mentioned in the article, most of the country is arid desert in which long term survival would be difficult. – Don W.
JWR Replies: You are right about the sheer weight of population numbers in Asia. But I have to wonder what circumstances would precipitate a mass illegal immigration. If there is a total collapse, how would those countless million get to Australia? By sailboat? Perhaps some Australians readers would care to chime in with their opinions.
My key question is: Are there some particular towns that are well-removed from the major population centers on the east coast –perhaps up in The Wet– that would be well-suited as safe havens?