Constructing ‘Micro-territories of the local’: young people making place in regional Australia

Places outside the city have continuously been characterised by received knowledge about decline, youth outmigration, lifestyle discourses and a lack of opportunities for young people. This paper argues that greater clarification of young people’s place-making practices counteracts received knowledge about the decline of the regions, discourses about the ‘idyllic’ communities and lack of access commonly understood to impact young people beyond the city. This paper further seeks to contribute to the academic discussion about non-urban spaces by focusing on regional places specifically, a key geography in the discussion about place. A focus group study with 62 individuals aged 16–28 years was designed to capture young people’s place-making practices. Using Harris, A., and J. Wyn. (2009. “Young People’s Politics and the Micro-Territories of the Local.” Australian Journal of Political Science 44 (2): 327–344) concept ‘micro-territories of the local’ as a framework, the analysis draws on gender and social class to interrogate young people’s place-making projects. The findings indicate that regional towns represent a unique constellation of people, resources and history that highlights the specific place-making projects of young people in their teens and into their 20s.