The Red Centre Day 2. - Broken Hill

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Hi everyone, today we played tourists. We started off on a Mine tour at the Daydream mine which is located just outside of Silverton township. OMG. This mine was old school. Lets just say safety and OH&S were a little behind the times but we enjoyed our two hours there. We found ourselves walking down 100 feet below the ground and in spots we needed to crouch to get into the shafts. The shafts are being kept together by timber posts and there were no lights underground. We were relying on the quivering lights of our unstable safety hats. I got a little claustraphobic in one spot but very little you can do when you are 100feet below ground and you don't know the way up. My son Paul was saved a number of times as he kept hitting his head against the rock ceilings and if he didn't have that helmet on we would be gluing his head again. The mine is an old silver mine and was at its peak in the late 1800s. The best part of the mine tour was the tea and scones that we were fed after the tour. After leaving the mine, this took 15kms of winding rough corrugated track, we heading into the old historic town of Silverton. Now Silverton is a small town (population of about 50) consisting of some really well restored historic buildings littered with other historic buildings in total disrepair. We had lunch at the famous Silverton pub which you might have seen in many movies such as Razorback, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Flying Doctors and Dirty Deeds. Also in town is a privately owned Mad Max museum. If you are a Mad Max fan (I have to admit I loved those movies) then this museum with the original cars and truck is the place to go. The mad max car scenes were filmed just outside of Silverton. Tourism appears to be what is keeping this small township afloat. The pub meal was typical of what you would find in a country town just good wholesome food. After lunch we headed back to Broken Hill and went to the airport. Yes they have an airport. The airport currently is used as a base of operations for the Royal Flying Doctor Service thus making it a very important hub for this service. It is also used extensively by the mining industry. We went on a tour of the facility and saw one of the planes up close. Such an important service. We were impressed by the activities of this service.

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Photos

Day Dream mine
If you are in Broken Hill this is worth a visit

Day Dream Mine shop
The entrance to the day dream mine office. Nearly as old as the mine itself

Mine sculpture
Just a bunch of kettles hanging on a dead tree

The mine shop
Looks like a trotting horse cart . Lots of horses roaming free

Mining equipment
Not sure what this water contraption did but it looked impressive with the grandchildren

Selfie
My wife and I just before we entered the bowels of the earth.

Mine Descent
Our walk down with another 15 odd grey nomads.

Mine equipment
This drilling machine has killed many a miner due to its tendency to get stuck and jerk

Water Trolley
This trolley was used to carry water down the mine

Sleeping quarters
The miners used to live in these shallow stone enclosures and used to sleep elevated as they all has respiratory issues

An old stove
Found on the old veranda

Mad Max2
The front of the Mad Max museum

Mad Max buggy
One of the original buggies used in the movie

Silverton Pub
This fireplace was in the main bar

The main bar
The Silverton pub main bar

The Royal Flying Doctor Service
We did a tour of the Royal Flying Doctor Service depot at the Broken Hill airport. Here is one of the planes. This service does so much good work for regional australia

Royal Flying Doctor Service
In the gallery on our tour

Comments

[Jan]

Thanks Tony
I love reading your blogs and seeing the pictures, you make it so interesting and I would love to go there. Old things from the past are so interesting. Do they still find silver around that area? Thanks Tony, I look forward to reading more blogs from you. Take care, Jan.