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Which coast of the continental island of Australia is most vulnerable?
It all depends what the Canberra government places its emphasis in the risk matrix. Is vulnerability translated in terms of population over run, biosecurity invasion, foreign ownership, trading shifts, geopolitical exposure or wartime attacks?
The geographical location of Australia initially denotes remoteness, long distances and a colony-like existence between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Unfettered skies offer striking oppprtunities to watch the night maps overhead, conduct nuclear weapon experiments and execution of joint nation military excercises.
Populations cling mainly to the Aussie coast in pockets of suburbia, leaving Indigenous Country mainly seemingly empty but full of mineral resources.
The capital of the Commonwealth of Australia is conveniently shucked like a oyster in the south east, between skiing slopes, agricultural farms, surfing beaches and her economic hubs. Is the rest of the land open to take over, without much impact for the nation? Famously during the age of conquest drive from the Japanese Imperial Army in the mid 20th century, the sitting Australian Prime Minister kept secret from the public about Canberra, in the worst of scenario, willing to not defend her territory above an imaginary geographical line above the border between Queensland and New South Wales. This "Brisbane Line" roughly synchronises with the Tropic of Capricorn.
In World War 2, most of the Aussie troops were deployed overseas for the needs of Mother Britain. In the future, will history repeat for Canberra, utilising most of its offensive and defensive war resources in supporting USA geopolitical wants? With a population of only around 27 million in 2024, non citizens included in the count, can Canberra have sufficient human power to first take care of Australia's independent strategic interests?
Australian coasts are only a passage for unwelcome intruders on the way to the riches within.
The extensive coast facing the Southern Ocean, say from Tasmania to Albany in WA, historically has been the source of whaling legends, endless desert driving, rich farming lands and ports of refuge (whether for Europeans fleeing religious persecution or 1940s American GIs enjoying a respite of R and R in Melbourne). In the 21st century, perhaps this is the least vulnerable of Aussie coasts in times of war.
Going clockwise around Australia to Perth, we have the Indian Ocean Highway if we then drive north to Exmouth and onwards to the extensive mining resources in Western Australia ( just below the Nusantara isles like Java and Bali).
Although there is a key naval base near Perth ( HMAS Stirling),the western coast remains primarily exposed to invaders of any kind. Detection on a timely basis as such is of very low probability. Any mass scale invasion by foreigners is lust for control of the huge trove of natural resources in the state of Western Australia.
The Northern Territory already increasingly hosts foreign troops, battle arsenal and war prep exercises.
It can be compared to what happened to South Korea, Okinawa and the Phillippines after WW2.
Perhaps Darwin is the star attraction in Australian defence. It is a built up entry and exit point closest to South East Asia. South of the city has become a focus for militaries of aligned nations to be a staging point handling perceived or actual threats ( depending on your point of view) to Australia or the allied nations themselves. The vastness and relative emptiness of the NT are perfect as bases for monitoring the skies for spying on other countries or conducting battles in the stratosphere.
From a major military hub in Townsville to the NSW South Coast ( HMAS Albatross), the eastern side of Australia has most of the infrastructure, power grids, residential housing, telecommunications and economic veins of the country. Invasion of such a coast would seriously imply management of masses of people, control of trade and holding hostage of talent and skills. It can bring a nation to her knees, but logically what a price to pay for such a scenario.
Technology wise and in terms of infrastructure, the eastern seaboard of Australia remains backward, with no high speed train networks, relatively few start ups and scattered centres of biotech. So what is the attraction for invading such a coast?
To be realistic, Australia is historically and geographically mainly far removed from any action in the Northern Hemisphere. (Critics point to Pearl Harbour attacks in December 1941to demolish any sense of such security for the USA due to geographical distance).
It has no land borders to contend with. The South Pacific to its east offers a friendly relative in New Zealand and a host of Polynesian and Melanesian isles.
Canberra always had this opportunity to chart her own destiny but has never done sufficiently in this respect.
Amazingly, Canberra is pretty lax in building up her relationships with South east Asia, particularly Indonesia, with the latter's span of territory from Sumatra to Irian Jaya, almost shaped like an Akruba hat sited north of Australia.
Australia does not need to control any choke points of shipping trade like the major canals of the world.
It has enough coastal land to accomodate a larger population which can be useful in contributing to a better defensive strategy.
Canberra can think outside the square to adopt a neutrality status like Switzerland in world affairs.
Australia can better offer itself as a positive beacon for an ever uncertain world, instead of, in the worst circumstances, of being a foot soldier in the military campaigns and strategies waged by
foreigners.
#yongkevthoughts
