BROKEN HILL NSW

 At last, I had arrived at Broken Hill. A bit smaller than I imagined with really only one Main Street and a surrounding Residential Area stretching for a Kilometre or two. The main Street, Argent Street and the surrounds are dotted with some exceptional examples of Architectural Heritage. Now only a few Pubs remain but I understand that there was once 80 and around Argent Street. There are examples with Federation and Victorian attributes while others are of Georgian influence and even some Art Deco buildings of the 1930s. many are listed in State and National Trust lists.

Broken Hill Town Hall c1900

 



 

 

Broken Hill Trades Hall a symbol of the Towns strong Unionist roots

 

 

                                 The Courthouse

 Broken Hill Post Office

 



                            Vietnam Memorial

The College Building

 

                                                                    Broken Hill Police

 

Worker's Club

 

 

                       Carington Hall c1888

Old Shop Facade

 

                           Anglican Church

 

Only a few Pubs remain in Argent Street

 



 

 

                                                      I wonder if I am related to old Jabez

 

  A trip to the Information Centre with some limited information offered. The first European to visit the general area was Surveyor and Explorer, Major Thomas Mitchell. Charles Sturt further explored the region. Pastoralists followed in the 1850s and this continued as the main activity until the first Mining Leases were pegged out ion 1883. With the discovery of the main ore body "The Line of Lode", the BHP mining company was formed in 1885. A syndicate of seven became partners in forming the Company, all having some connection with the nearby Mt Gibbs Station. George McCulloch, part owner of the Station was the mastermind behind the Syndicate. Charles Rasp, a leading shareholder was a Boundary Rider. Phillip Charley came to Mt Gibbs as a `4 year old as a Station Hand and found the first Silver. George Urqat, the Overseer of the Station was also the first to pull out of the Syndicate. David James was a Contractor and well known in the district. James Poole who sold his shares to Cattle King, Sydney Kidman for a Bullock Team worth only 40 pounds and finally, George Linde, the Storekeeper on Mt Gibbs, who also pulled out. Unfortunately for those that left, by 1883, BHP shares were worth 400 pounds and the Company mined ore worth 47.000 pounds in the first year. I was surprised to learn that BHP ran out of ore to mine and hasn't operated in Broken Hill since 1937.
  To date after 125 years of mining activity, the underground "Line of Lode" Mineral System is 8 km long and 1.6 km deep, has yielded 300 million tonnes of ore, created $100 Billion in revenue and still supports mining. The ore body consists of Galena, a mixture of Lead and Silver and Sphalerite containing Zinc. It is said that Broken Hill has more trucks and traffic lights underground than it does on the surface.
 I visited the Lookout and the Miner's Memorial, a steel structure where inside the names of more than 800 Miners who died on the job are displayed. Deaths began from the first years of mining starting around 1885. Each entry has the name of the Miner and how he died. It is amazing that such records were kept from the earliest days. The youngest that I could find was 12 years old, the most common cause of death appeared to be by falling down shafts, being crushed by equipment, by explosion, via Lead poisoning and surprisingly, through heart failure.

 

Views from the Lookout

 



  Also at the Lookout is the quirky "Largest Bench Seat in the World". Apparently the Artist wanted us to realise man's insignificans in the grand scheme of things.

 Well that is my description of Broken Hill for now. After looking at alternatives for an overnight stay, I have decided to drive another 25 km West to the Hamlet of Silverton with it's rich History and stay at Penrose Park, a Bush Campground.