Broken Hill – when I first heard about the little town, it caught my attention because I very much liked the name. It brought up some pictures about a melancholic looking place with nice sunsets and the possibility to see the stars, without the obstruction of any city lights close by. The truth is, as it normally is, slightly less romantic. Being the founding city of BHP Billinton, the world largest resource company, the name stems from a “broken” hill, where the Line of Lode (ore body) was discovered about 130 years ago. Easy to mine the minerals close to the surface, the original hill is long gone and was replaced by a hill of slack (mining waste), which gives the town quite a unique feature today.
However, not fully knowing what to expect, I came to the 19.000 people town on Australia day by a nine hour bus ride from Dubbo and was very much surprised what it has to offer. Being the “capital” of the area, it concentrates a very active social life, which includes numerous local clubs, three racing tracks as well as a quite fruitful art scene. One of the latest additions to the community is the regional monthly journal Local Talk which definitely has not to fear any comparison with counterparts from much bigger towns and provides very entertaining news about the who is who and the where to go in the town.
In the Regional Art Gallery, which is currently featuring a selection of images of Bill Henson, one of Australia’s best known photographers, I met Bianca. Overcoming the primary struggle with our very individual form of humor, she gave me quite some insights into the life of Broken Hill. Growing up in the town and enjoying very much the life in the outback, she told me a great deal about Magpies, Apostle Birds and other creatures of the wild 😉
After three days of constant rain, I was then also very eager to get out of the town, so we visited some impressive places together. Starting with the Mundi Mundi plain, one of the few spots where it is possible to directly see the curving of the earth. We then went to Silverton, a well known spot for the production of featured and advertising films: Mad Max or Dirty Deeds might ring a bell. After passing “The Test” I became a live long member of the Silverton Hotel. Unfortunately it is strictly forbidden to discuss it with non-members, so you have to come and see for yourself if you want to know more! And last but not least, when you should be in the area, it is worth is visiting the Living Desert and Sculptural Symposium to enjoy a beautiful scenic sunset.
Remark: The title of this entry “Life & Times in the Republic of Broken Hill” refers to the photo book by Robin Sellick and Jack Marx, portraying the people living in this special place.