--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Australia's distance from Europe was…" description: "\"“Australia's distance from Europe was probably only tolerable because it had strategic commodities which England, threatened by changing European allia..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/geoffrey-blainey-44357_australia_australia-s-distance-from-europe-was-pro_1706730.jpg" --- # Australia's distance from Europe was probably only… ![“Australia's distance from Europe was probably only tolerable because it had strategic commodities which England, threatened by changing European alliances, might some day be unable to produce in the northern hemisphere. Flax was the first conqueror — a hollow conqueror — of the distance which so…” quote by Geoffrey Blainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/geoffrey-blainey-44357_australia_australia-s-distance-from-europe-was-pro_1706730.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/geoffrey-blainey-44357_australia_australia-s-distance-from-europe-was-pro_1706730.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/geoffrey-blainey-44357_australia_australia-s-distance-from-europe-was-pro_1706730.jpg) > ““Australia's distance from Europe was probably only tolerable because it had strategic commodities which England, threatened by changing European alliances, might some day be unable to produce in the northern hemisphere. Flax was the first conqueror — a hollow conqueror — of the distance which so often shaped Australia's destiny.”” [Geoffrey Blainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-blainey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Australia's distance from Europe was tolerable due to strategic commodities; geography shaped its destiny. **In simple terms:** Geography and resources made distance manageable. Key Takeaway Recognize how resources affect geopolitical strategy. Themes geography resources strategy Mood analytical historical Type educational explanatory When to use this quote - policy planning - economic analysis - historical research Key Concepts colonial history trade national development Questions to Reflect On - How do resources shape national choices? - What modern parallels exist? A Different Perspective Resource dependence can create vulnerability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Australia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australia/) [Australia Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australia-destiny-1204861/) [Colonialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colonialism/) [Commodities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commodities/) [Distance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Flax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flax/) [Flax Conqueror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flax-conqueror-1204859/) [Geography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geography/) [Hemisphere Flax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hemisphere-flax-1204860/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Shaped Australia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shaped-australia-1204862/) ## Related quotes > [Here we grow the flax and grain; here we raise the meat they eat, and the wool to keep them warm; we cut trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-poole/here-we-grow-the-flax-and-grain-here-we-raise-the-meat-they-eat-and/) [Ernest Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-poole/) > [The fatuous idea that a person can be holy by himself denies God the pleasure of saving sinners. God must therefore first take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-fatuous-idea-that-a-person-can-be-holy-by-himself-denies-god-the/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Keep flax from fire, and youth from gaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/keep-flax-from-fire-and-youth-from-gaming/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Keep flax from fire, youth from gaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/keep-flax-from-fire-youth-from-gaming/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“In conclusion, to assure omega-3 adequacy, unless blood tests demonstrate otherwise, I recommend 100 to 200 milligrams a day of DHA, plus 1 tablespoon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-fuhrman/in-conclusion-to-assure-omega-3-adequacy-unless-blood-tests/) [Joel Fuhrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-fuhrman/) > [I bought a year's production of flax from a single field owned by a Dutch producer. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-holland/) > [I've never wanted to chuck my mortgage, drop the kids off at their grandparents' and run gloriously naked in fields of flax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/i-ve-never-wanted-to-chuck-my-mortgage-drop-the-kids-off-at-their/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [He does not regard the quantity of faith, but the quality. He does not measure its degree, but its truth. He will not break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-does-not-regard-the-quantity-of-faith-but-the-quality-he-does-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He called her: mother of pearl, barley woman, rice provider, millet basket, corn maid, flax princess, all-maker, weef She called him: fawn, roebuck, stag,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-grahn/he-called-her-mother-of-pearl-barley-woman-rice-provider-millet/) [Judy Grahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-grahn/) > [The smoking flax before it burst to flame Was quenched by death, and broken the bruised reed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-smoking-flax-before-it-burst-to-flame-was-quenched-by-death-and/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) ## More by Geoffrey Blainey > [Nationalism is both a vital medicine and a dangerous drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-blainey/nationalism-is-both-a-vital-medicine-and-a-dangerous-drug/) [Geoffrey Blainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-blainey/) > [“In the history of warfare, a succession of bold ideas and weapons had promised to curb the tyranny of distance. 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We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/no-matter-what-day-we-celebrate-australia-day-let-s-celebrate-it/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [As a young kid you stay up late to watch the Ashes, getting told off for not being in bed, and dream of making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-bairstow/as-a-young-kid-you-stay-up-late-to-watch-the-ashes-getting-told-off/) [Jonny Bairstow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-bairstow/) > [I love coming out to Australia, if it weren't so far away I would go all the time. 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Scientifically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-morano/coal-is-the-moral-choice-particularly-for-the-developing-world-the/) [Marc Morano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-morano/) > [I want to be part of the team that wins a Test series in England and Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-gambhir/i-want-to-be-part-of-the-team-that-wins-a-test-series-in-england-and/) [Gautam Gambhir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-gambhir/) > [I was brought up in a Christian home in Australia with a father who was very bold about his faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ham/i-was-brought-up-in-a-christian-home-in-australia-with-a-father-who/) [Ken Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ham/) [Browse all 1,907 Australia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australia/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Australia's distance from Europe was probably only tolerable because it had strategic commodities which England, threatened by changing European alliances, might some day be unable to produce in the northern hemisphere. 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