Australia feels small for a continent, but vast for a country. It feels more like a collection of city states, each with its own rough backyard. Caught between seemingly unlimited mineral resources and a limited water supply, the cities prosper while the rest of the country is spread very thin. I heard the word remote a lot.
Sydney
Prison Break
If I remember correctly this city started as a prison. The concept appeared to be somewhat like this: Once you got here, there was nowhere to go. So neither bars nor chains were needed. Maybe a few guards that reminded the inmates how far away they were.