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摘要

Standing atop the red cliffs of Fish River Gorge in Australia's Northern Territory, it's difficult not to indulge in a fantasy of nature primordial. More than lOO feet below, fish are clearly visible in the crystalline water. Flocks of squawking whitecockatoos soar through the riverine forest, and wallabies dart in and out of view. Beyond that: woodlands as far as the eye can see—and no sign of people. It's a common enough illusion in northern Australia. Although Australia roughly matches the continental United States in size, its population would fill only the New York City metropolitan area. Most Australians live on the island continent's coastal perimeter. Far from the cities, the fancy opera house and the famous barrier reefs lies a vast, seemingly empty red center.