Broken Hill tourist information
Broken Hill’s history is fascinating, its outback location harsh and evocative and its flourishing community of artists is a treasure to explore. You only have to drive down Argent Street in the heart of Broken Hill to realise you have arrived in a special place. The architecture of the stately old buildings along this charming avenue provides an extraordinary contrast to the outback wilderness that is little more than a stones throw away. Then again, Broken Hill has always been a city of extremes. A boundary rider, Charles Rasp, put the city on the map when he discovered ore on an isolated ‘broken hill’ in 1883. Rasp was a mysterious character – an educated man who fled Europe after deserting from the German army. Once he realised the potential of his find, Rasp, with his partners in the so-called ‘syndicate of seven’, went on to create the Broken Hill Proprietary Company which became Australia’s biggest company. In the process Rasp amassed a vast personal fortune. One hundred billion dollars in wealth has been generated out of the mines in Broken Hill. It is the largest single source of lead, silver and zinc ore ever discovered on earth. But fabulous wealth was only part of the story. However Broken Hill is more than a unique historical site. It is a bustling, living city of more than 23,000–a city forging new directions on which its future prosperity will be based. The visual arts provide perhaps the most exciting of these new paths forward. Broken Hill is now the home to a surprisingly large and diverse community of artists whose work is inspired by the stark contrasts of local outback scenery and city streetscapes. Pro Hart is the most famous of them. In his gallery is a wonderful selection of his famous country town paintings but also choice examples of his newer work, often featuring distinctive clown-like characters. There are at least 30 other galleries in the region, including those featuring the outback landscapes of Jack Absalom and the moody portraits and corrugated iron mounted mining town scenes of Geoffrey DeMain. A tour of these many galleries makes for a rich and challenging experience. At Geoffrey’s there is even a night every second week where you can dine on fine Indian or Lebanese food amongst his striking art. You can also visit the base of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and discover how this famous institution provides vitally needed medical services to the hardy people of the vast Australian outback. Also worthwhile is a visit to the School of the Air where you can see school programs transmitted by radio to children who live on isolated farms and settlements. Broken Hill also serves as a launch pad for a range of guided 4-wheel drive adventure tours into the Australian interior. Visit Broken Hill and take a journey of discovery into an extraordinary outback world both past and present.
Broken Hill aerial map
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