Locational stress on Sydney's metropolitan fringe

Abstract

After describing the spatial pattern of Sydney's metropolitan expansion on the southwestern fringe, the human behavioural and welfare ramifications of this process are considered. The analytical framework is based on the locational stress concept and methodological guidelines are derived from the humanistic perspective. It is argued that a better understanding of the urban population's needs can be achieved by placing more emphasis upon studies which explore activity patterns and satisfaction levels of specific groups at a micro-level. Thus, a case study approach is adopted in which the behavioural and attitudinal responses of forty households are examined. This investigation is facilitated by the development of a game-based technique for mapping household activity systems and identifying the accessibility problems experienced in given residential situations. The analysis reveals that house-bound mothers and their children are particularly disadvantaged by the metropolitan fringe location and attention is, therefore, focussed on the difficulties faced by this group. Show more