Carrier utility followed from Australia's geography as a resource-rich, thinly populated continent. A carrier could sit across an approach route, extend surveillance around it, and bring aviation closer than distant land bases. It could also cover population and economic centres separated by distances that made rapid reinforcement difficult. Melbourne and Sydney gave Australia practical assets for allied exercises, while Sydney's Korean War service showed how closely the Commonwealth navies could operate.
Notable Point · 33:27-35:59
Australian distance, threat axes, and carrier exercises
Australia's vast distances and concentrated population centres made a carrier useful for watching approach routes, exercising with allies, and moving air power to a threat axis.