ABSTRACT

Broadscale transitions in the economy have meant that farming has become more capital rather than labour intensive, while education, tourism, finance, and health and community services have become significant employment sectors. Economic activities centred on leisure, consumption and the creative arts are increasingly important. Agriculture is no longer the backbone of the rural economy, and farming landscapes are instead commodified as 'scenery' for the tourism industry, or for real estate developments. Some 45 percent of total tourism expenditure in Australia is undertaken outside capital cities. Attempts to develop wild-life tourism in a remote part of Western Australia failed and book towns have had only short-lived success. Antiques tourism has become another niche where rural and regional towns have made notable inroads. Cycle tourism has emerged as a focus of regional tourism policy development and formed the basis of a specialist touring niche.