Touring Australia Summer 2016/17 Touring Australia | Page 86

NsW

Brown’s Shaft - North Mine photo by Broken Hill
City Council. Image thanks to Destination NSW.

BROKEN HILL
Broken hill is known as the ‘silver city’, and is famous for
its grand mining heritage and its oasis of green parks and
gardens set amongst a harsh desert landscape. this quaint
town is also known as the ‘accessible outback’. located 500
kilometres from Adelaide and 1000 kilometres from sydney
broken hill is a great spot to head this summer.
Broken hill offers beautiful views of this quaint township,
which are best seen from the broken earth café, situated on
one of broken hill’s old mine sites. The view from the top
of the café is simply amazing, as are their meals, cake and
coffee. whilst at Broken earth make sure to also visit the
miner’s memorial and lookout, for fantastic views of the
city. Broken earth also features some great paintings by local
artist, Albert woodroffe, whose gallery lies in silverton, 25
kilometres north west of broken hill.
if you are appreciate art, you will appreciate the silver
city mint and Art centre, home to ‘the Big Picture’, which
is home to the world’s largest acrylic painting by the artist
Ando. Ando signed, created and painted this amazing work.
the mint and art centre also manufactures beautiful silver
jewellery made in the region and features some amazing
work by Broken hill and other great Australian artists.

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Scenic sunrise over Broken Hill by Maxine
Coquard. Image thanks to Destination NSW.

broken hill is very much a mining town. within the area
there are both working and non-working mines. whilst in
broken hill ensure that you take an underground tour of
a mine and get a look into what a miner’s life is like, with
most of the tours run by ex-miners, who will have some great
stories to share with you. Another thing that you are sure to
love about broken hill are the locals, who are very polite,
friendly and helpful.
broken hill is also very much immersed in Aboriginal culture
and heritage. Aboriginal people in this area date back to over
40,000 years ago. the nearby mutawintji National Park was
the first of the Aboriginal land to be taken back in Australia
by the descendants of its original homestead. whilst in the
living desert National Park make sure to also visit the living
desert story-line poles. here lies twelve Aboriginal story
line poles, which are a modern interpretation by Aboriginal
students reflecting their traditional heritage, culture and art.

touring australia magazine • summer 2017