The Federation of Australasia — 2044
The year is 2044. The Federation of Australasia stands as one of Asia’s great powers, capable of projecting its power as far as the Gulf of Aden.
1950s — Formation
The Federation was formed in 1956 when Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea united following independence. Their goal was to protect one another from the growing Chinese threat while recovering from the Great Economic Crash.
1960s–1970s — Recovery
The 1960s began with a bang as the First Indochina War broke out. Australasia committed a limited number of troops to support the South, but despite its efforts, the war ultimately proved unsuccessful.
However, the conflict helped kick-start the economy. The stagnation caused by the Great Economic Crash finally came to an end, and the nation began to recover. Throughout the 1970s, the economy continued its slow but steady growth, eventually returning to pre-crash levels.
1980s — A New Era
The 1980s marked the definitive end of the Great Economic Crash, with Australasia emerging stronger than ever.
In 1982, the purpose of the Federation was called into question. The economic crisis had been resolved, and China had seemingly backed down. A referendum was held across every member state, with 87% of the population voting to keep the Federation together. Military high command also supported its continuation, recognizing how dependent the member states had become on one another.
In 1984, the Second Technological Revolution began, ushering the world into the Cyber Age.
1990s — Project Elysium
The 1990s may have been one of the most important decades in Australasian history, as Project Elysium was proposed and approved.
The project began with the evacuation and compensation of residents living in the southeastern Outback. Following this, construction began on Lake Elizabeth, a massive undertaking that would take almost a decade to complete.
The plan was to create a lake of significant size that would gradually terraform the surrounding Outback, similar to projects being undertaken in Africa. Thanks to the technological advancements of the era, the project became considerably more achievable.
By 1996, Lake Elizabeth had been completed and connected to the surrounding infrastructure, marking a major milestone in the Federation’s ambitious plans to transform its interior.
2000s — The Australasian Decade
The 2000s could rightly be called the Australasian Decade.
Lake Elizabeth began to show the first signs of successful terraforming. Combined with rapid technological advancements, the once-barren Outback was beginning to transform into something entirely new. The desert that had defined the region for generations would eventually become a thing of the past.
However, another ambitious project was approved during this period.
Project Eden was launched with the goal of constructing an entirely new federal capital on the shores of Lake Elizabeth. Canberra had served as the Federation’s unofficial capital, but the government envisioned something greater: a city that would be modern, technologically advanced, and, above all, truly Australasian.
2010s — The Rise of Elizabeth
The 2010s saw the completion of Elizabeth, the Federation’s new capital city.
The federal government officially relocated there, and residents began moving into the modern metropolis. Designed to represent the Federation’s identity and ambitions, Elizabeth quickly became a symbol of Australasian unity and progress.
In the same decade, Lake Elizabeth was declared a New Wonder of the World by the League of Nations, dramatically increasing tourism and international interest in the Federation.
2020s — The Rise of a Great Power
The 2020s marked the beginning of Australasia’s rise to great-power status.
At first, the future looked uncertain. The Federation was heavily indebted following its two megaprojects, and with a third project entering the planning stages, its economic stability was at risk.
Then, an unexpected opportunity arose.
In 2021, Indonesia invaded its much smaller neighbour, East Timor, claiming that the country needed to repay its debts. East Timor was quickly and brutally overrun. The League of Nations condemned Indonesia’s actions but ultimately did nothing to intervene.
The Federation could not stand by and allow a small democracy to be destroyed without a response.
On September 13, 2021, just two months after Indonesia declared victory, the Federation took matters into its own hands. Australasian bombers struck key targets across the island of Timor, marking the beginning of the Timor War.
Indonesia attempted to retaliate by challenging the Australasian navy, but its forces were swiftly defeated in the Timor Sea. Meanwhile, Australian Defence Force (ADF) troops began parachuting into and landing across Timor, rapidly pushing back the much larger but poorly equipped Indonesian Armed Forces (IAF).
The war lasted only two months. With the ADF threatening to invade Indonesian-controlled territory on the island, Jakarta sued for peace.
Australasia had won.
Under the peace settlement, Indonesia was forced to pay substantial war reparations to both East Timor and Australasia.
However, the decade was far from over.
In October 2026, amid a struggling economy and rising radicalism, East Timor applied to join the Australasian Federation. Its application was approved, bringing the number of member states to four.
2030s — The Golden Age
The aftermath of the Timor War triggered an economic boom and ushered in a golden age for the Federation.
Australasia had demonstrated its military strength, and its economic performance became the envy of much of Asia. Its newfound power transformed the Federation into a major regional player.
Indonesia, once a relatively neutral neighbour, predictably turned hostile. Viewing the war as a national humiliation, it abandoned the Japanese sphere of influence and joined the Indian sphere instead.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth continued to grow, eventually surpassing Osaka in population and becoming one of Asia’s largest and most prestigious cities.
The war also transformed Australasia’s national identity. Increasingly confident in its own political system, the Federation began positioning itself as the protector of democratic movements across Asia. It would no longer tolerate what it considered tyrannical regimes standing in the way of freedom.
Viewing itself as Asia’s one true democracy, Australasia embraced the belief that it was a bastion of liberty and that these values should be spread throughout the continent.
Late 2030s–2040s — Project Hermes
As Australasia entered the late 2030s, the Federation began looking toward its next great national undertaking. Having transformed the Outback through Project Elysium and established a new federal capital through Project Eden, the government turned its attention toward connecting its vast territories.
In the late 2030s, Project Hermes was announced. Its primary objective was to construct the Australasian High-Speed Network, an ambitious nationwide transportation system designed to connect the Federation’s major cities and population centres through high-speed rail.
For decades, the enormous distances between Australasian cities had posed a significant challenge to national integration. Air travel remained essential for long-distance journeys, while conventional rail networks struggled to provide fast and reliable connections across such a vast territory. Project Hermes sought to change that.
The proposed network would connect major urban centres across the Federation, improving the movement of people, goods, and services. It would also strengthen the economic ties between the member states, making travel between them easier and reinforcing the idea that Australasia was a single, interconnected nation rather than a collection of distant territories.
The project represented more than a transportation initiative. It was a declaration that the Federation intended to overcome the geographical barriers that had historically divided its people.
Construction was a monumental undertaking, requiring years of investment, advanced engineering, and unprecedented coordination between the federal government and the member states. Nevertheless, Australasia’s technological capabilities and growing economic strength allowed the project to progress.
In 2044, Project Hermes was finally completed, marking another defining achievement in Australasian history. The Australasian High-Speed Network became a symbol of national unity and technological progress, bringing the Federation closer together than ever before.
With Elizabeth at its heart and a modern transportation network stretching across its territories, Australasia entered a new era of connectivity and prosperity.
2044 — A Power in a Changing Asia
By 2044, the economic boom continues, with Australasia consistently ranking among the world’s ten best places to live and being regarded as the best place to live in Asia.
The Federation’s growing influence has also led it to intervene beyond its borders. When an attempted coup threatened North Borneo’s fragile democracy, Australasia stepped in to preserve the government. Since then, it has gradually helped the country strengthen its institutions and prevent future coups.
In 2035, Australasia founded the South Pacific Treaty Organization (SPTO), a military alliance intended to protect and promote democracy across the Asia-Pacific region. Its founding members were Australasia and North Borneo.
The completion of Project Hermes further strengthened the Federation’s position, demonstrating its ability to undertake massive infrastructure projects while maintaining its status as a regional power.
Now, in the 2040s, the geopolitical situation across Asia is becoming increasingly tense. The Japanese sphere of influence is collapsing, while China has begun acting more aggressively than ever before.
As the balance of power shifts and the threat of a wider conflict grows, Australasia faces a defining question: can it preserve the democratic order it has spent decades building, or will it be drawn into a conflict that could reshape the entire continent?
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Hello! I hope you enjoy this map and lore dump for Australasia in Solar Sunset, my fictional, non-dystopian cyberpunk world!
I know it’s a lot to read, lol, but please feel free to ask any questions about the world or Australasia. I’d love to answer them!
