Australian higher‐order nodal regions

Summary

Factor analysis of interurban telephone traffic in all Australian states confirms generally accepted views on levels of functional centralization within each state and demonstrates that only a limited, spatially discontinuous array of major non‐metropolitan regions exists, satisfying criteria based on eigenvalues, single‐centre nodality and numbers of dependent towns. The use of Q‐ and R‐mode analyses on both morning and evening traffic reveals consistent differentials according to the timing and directionality of traffic. Metropolitan regions are most sharply delineated by Q‐mode evening, followed by R‐mode evening, Q‐mode and R‐mode morning traffic respectively, indicative of the greater influence of the capital cities as attractors than as generators of phone calls and of their greater command of evening traffic. For non‐metropolitan regions this ordering is reversed. Time/directional differentials within non‐metropolitan regions are further explored based upon eigenvalues, factor scores and factor loadings.