3 ms·

Perth doesn't count as a major city? (% of that 30% live within its metro area. This isn't to say the 7-city grid is a bad idea, but your statement is inaccur

• kuzehanka 7y ago
  Perth is number 4 on the above list..?
• dredmorbius 7y ago
  Perth (and Darwin) are essentally islands of their own. Perth-Adelaide (nearest major metro) is 2,131km air mles, over the Great Austrailian Bight (ocean). Land route is 2,695 km (1,675 mi). Darwin-Brisbane is even further: 2,848 km by air, 3,425 km by ground (2,128 mi). By 300 kph HSR, those are 7+ hour trips, vs about 3 by air. And those are nearest-nighbour trips. There is effectively no population between either location -- unless somehow induced (a possibility), a high-speed rail service would have tpo rely on endpoint-traffic only. Climate, economy, and ag productivity (low) make development unlikely. https://www.distancecalculator.net/from-perth-to-adelaide https://www.distancecalculator.net/from-perth-to-adelaide https://www.distancecalculator.net/from-brisbane-to-darwin https://www.distancecalculator.net/from-brisbane-to-darwin By contrast, the southeastern zone of Adelaide-Melbourne-Canberra-Sydny-Brisbane, is compact with five major metros over 1,601 km (air), though the ground route is still 2,005 km (1,246 mi). https://www.distancecalculator.net/from-adelaide-to-brisbane https://www.distancecalculator.net/from-adelaide-to-brisbane And still, the only HSR corridor that's been seriously considered is SydneyMelbourne. Quite validly. Australia is almost wholly empty space. https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=5/-24.921/134.272 https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=5/-24.921/134.272 Populations: Perth: 2m Adelaide: 1.7m Melbourne: 5m Canberra: 0.4m Sydney: 5.2m Brisbane: 3.6m (metro area) Darwin: 0.1m