Peri-urban agriculture in Australia: Pressure on the urban fringe

This chapter draws on case studies of Australia’s two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, to explore pressures on the peri-urban fringe, and it highlights the policy and planning options to protect these regions in the future. Australia’s cities have some of the highest rates of population growth and some of the lowest rates of urban density among the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries. The peri-urban fringes of Australia’s state capitals have historically been an important source of fresh food. While the food needs of these cities are increasing with population growth, the capacity of their peri-urban fringes to meet these food needs is decreasing due to urban sprawl. Food production on the peri-urban fringe has often been viewed as a transient land use to be replaced by housing. However, an emerging body of research highlights the significant contribution that peri-urban agricultural regions can make to urban sustainability and resilience in the context of climate change and growing water scarcity.