The Post-Apocalyptic Roadmap/Australia

Part of the Post-Apocalyptic Roadmap Project.

Victoria

Victoria was the garden of Australia - the large rural areas filled with vineyards, farms and orchards made it a prime target for bombing. Nearly all of the areas responsible for primary production were all burnt or contaminated by nuclear submunitions hitting the countryside. Eastern Victoria was devastated, the worst of the destruction 40km west of Bendigo.

The 70% of the population that lived in Melbourne is now stuck in a highly urbanised environment, with waves of refugees from other regions camped in Federation Square and in the high-rises of the CBD. In the first few weeks after the nukes hit there was a stampede for permanent accommodation that filled the many apartments and offices with camps - even the Spirit Of Tasmania was taken as residence (though it cannot sail due to Port Phillip Bay's current contamination).

The Yarra is now even worse off, as radiological contamination mixed with ash seeped into catchments from the north. Port Phillip bay has also become contaminated as a result, killing the penguins that lived there and making shipping hazardous. When the dams in central Victoria ran out, Melbourne started running desalination plants along the Great Ocean Road at high capacity to provide safe drinking water. While this is working so far recently there have been higher levels of contaminants flowing out of the Bay and into the Bass Strait, to the concern of those operating the plants.

The food that came from the country is now gone, leaving the city to fight for what supplies remain or come in by boat. Shipping comes in from Queensland and lands on the western shores, where the contamination and displacement is the least.

Gold Coast, Australia:

After the bombing of Australia's cities, the eastern seaboard's sprawling towns devolved into more tribal communities. None more so than Surfer's Paradise. Once packed with tourists, all are now refugees. Unable to return to their own countries, and exiled by their nationality, they have taken up residence in the many now abandoned hotels. As far south as Broadbeach, and as far north as Main Beach, there are walls of cars, scrap metal, and packed sand. Each ethnicity fights for control of the beaches, the only place where food can be fished out.

Of course, the Kebab stands still exist. These points of diplomacy in an otherwise racially charged sea are the only places the tribes interact peaceably, and those who can actually afford these dishes are few and far between.

The inner suburbs of the Gold Coast have long been abandoned, except by those willing to brave the encroaching desert. Southport is but a shell of itself, although it remains the safest place to seek out goods. Surprisingly, both Pacific Fair in Broadbeach, and Australia Fair in Southport are still operative, even if their goods have changed somewhat. The two exist in stark opposition, vying for power and resources, a largely bloodless war, in contrast to Surfer's.

With the destruction of the highway, the train remains as the only way up further than Helensvale, and sometimes there are expeditions to brave the wasteland of Brisbane, though these are incredibly dangerous. Thus, both Helensvale and Nerang maintain a small community of expeditioners, train mechanics, and civilians. Helensvale has fared better than most of the Gold Coast, with it's Westfield shopping centre able to provide refuge and food for those who survived further north.

There are rumours that Sydney suburbs survivors are trying to reopen the old railway to establish trade with their Gold Coast brethren, although with the desert fast moving in, it's unknown whether it will be possible.

Also, although the Western Queensland outback farms still exist, the difficulty of transporting goods between these corrugated-iron guarded outposts and the coastal towns is harrowing, at the very least. Bands of brigands, riding stolen vehicles and horses (and often painted in aboriginal tribal patterns) often attack the food convoys, so a small industry has popped up around protecting them in exchange for food and shelter.

Maitland (Hunter Valley)

Survivors of the fall-out populate Maitland as an aristocratic kleptocracy, lording their dairy, market garden and grape wealth over the peons who labour the fields, tend the cattle and act as navvies in their works.

Maitland maintains a horse drawn connection to Lake Macquaire, which it primarily polices with the power of the Singleton Light Horse (Acting.), and the New England Mounted Constabulary (Provisional.) Given the dissolution of the Commonwealth and the inability for a Prime Minister to advise a Monarch in line of the appointment of a Governor-General, or, for a Premier to advise a Monarch in line of the appointment of a Governor, the State of New England (bounded by Lake Macquarie, the Mountains, and the Marshes) awaits the stabilisation of good governance in other Australian territories.

Never-the-less Maitland maintains a tripartite government with an unwritten, if Westminster, constitution. It is, however, operating under a limited property franchise with an executive selected legislative council, and habeas corpus is currently suspended by act of legislative council.

Maitland also benefits from its trade through the yacht port of Morpeth, though riverine piracy has been known to take a toll on trade vessels. Maitland's chief export is high grade hash resin, and it eagerly anticipates expanding its pharmacopeia, micro-climate permitting.

The former port and University city of Newcastle continues to be uninhabitable. Changes on this point were not aided by final strikes which hit well home. These were targeted on Rod and Bar and Dry Dock, according to witness reports and post-event surveys. Surveys indicate that all coal loaders are structurally unsound, and that secondary furnaces and ovens are beyond repair due to blast or firestorm unhousing, foundation damage, and lack of periodic maintenance. Radiation and superstition continue to be issues, and Newcastle is policed as a "stand-off" affair, mainly to dissuade looters from stripping any surviving major portable industrial components. Little of value was lost.

Amongst the State Secrets of New England is the presence of mass graves at Hexham, known within the Singleton LH and New England MC as "survivors trenches." Coronial findings are not forthcoming from Maitland Library. Matters are sealed under the 100 year rule and the New England Security Organisation Act.