Broken Hill

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We spent several days at Broken Hill. It is a typical mining town with the town being built around the mine, after all it was the start of the big Australian BHP. All of the high quality ore has been mined but they claim there is still 35 years left of mining low grade ore which produces silver lead and zinc. At its peak it employed over 4000 people but now due to mechanisation and the closing of many mines there are only about 400 people employed in mining. Tourism is now an integral part of the economy. As it was a prosperous town in the early 1900's there is some lovely architecture in the town. We also visited Silverton which is 25 kms out of Broken Hill and was where silver was originally discovered. When silver was discovered at Broken Hill a lot of the buildings from Silverton were transported to Broken Hill by horse and cart, only a few lovely stone buildings remain. Silverton is famous for the filming of many movies, including A Town Like Alice and Mad Max. Did the normal tourist things including mine tour, living desert tour which included many sculptures from world renowned sculptors, and the odd art gallery including Pro Hart (now there must have been a troubled mind or maybe too many years down the mines). Enjoyed Broken Hill, now off to Coober Pedy.

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Photos

Model
A model of the early mining years taken on a mine tour

A hunk of lead
This is the silver lead zinc ore comes out of the ground, this little piece weighs in excess of 44 kilos

The First Fleet
These pics were all made from minerals taken at Broken Hill. The gentleman in the previous photo has been making these magnificant pictures for over 40 years and has several hudred on display.

Living Sculptures
One of the many

Sturt Desert Pea
Apparently we were very lucky to see this as it was unseasonal.

Rock Garden
These desrt plants are amazing at close range. So many different colours

Council Chambers
One of the few remaining beautiful old buildings in Silverton

The Pub
Pub at Silverton, featured in Mad Max