'Hempy' it's good you kicked off this subject even if it is diverging a little.
You mention yr friend had just come back from 'The Rock' & referred to 'great open spaces', that's what I was alluding to in my past post, that 'great open spaces' is the issue. Large tracts of land to traverse for people whom live at times on a shoe string budget way away from the mainstream population, something not conducive to air travel especially when it's infrequent & costly.
Many have seen the same vast distances of our sunburnt country & thought this place/area could do with more services (thinking I could make money here )not only air services these remote communities are devoid of a lot of other services to but the funds are simply not there. The 'need' (for air services)is there it always will be but given our current climate (in financial terms) it's not sustainable.
I think it's back to the gambling table & await the next adventure down under
Wmk2