Hi all, a brief update. I have just returned from a four day trip to Broken Hill and although it was unusually wet for the area - it rained pretty much steadily from a big storm Friday evening (27th), all Saturday and most of Sunday, I still had a really wonderful time.
I arrived early evening on Australia Day (26th January) and was promptly invited to a BBQ that very night, with a group of poets who were having a long weekend get together at the Tourist Lodge where I was staying that first night. The host was the very hospitable owner of the Lodge - Dallas.
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Interior Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery (from gallery website) |
Art Scene
Socialising continued the following evening at the Broken Regional Art Gallery for the opening of a Bill Henson photographic exhibition. Also opening that night was a linocut and 'story poles' exhibition by Kevin (Kat) Cattermole - a Paakantji artist from Wilcannia, together with another linocuts exhibition by Robyn Nelson who spent some time in Broken Hill as she grew up. The event commencing at 6.30pm was initially called off after the Friday night storm caused the power to go out, but fortunately, not long after, the power was restored and the event was able to go ahead. It was great to meet so many friendly locals.
During the few days I was there, I managed to catch up with a number of local artists including Andrea Blundell, Jenny Cattonar, Ian Lewis, Eric McCormick and Deirdre Edwards. I had a good chat with Angela Fitzpatrick (over the phone as she wasn't in her studio that day). I was meant to go out to Silverton to catch up with Albert Woodroffe who owns Horizon Gallery, on the Friday, but unfortunately with the very wet stormy conditions, he advised by phone that if I came out that afternoon, I might get stuck there as the creek was likely to cut the town off, so that was the end of that part of my trip. I caught up with a few other people which was great, and met a few new people as well.
On Saturday night there was dinner at The Palace Hotel and later dancing to the music of the local band the Silver City Comets.
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Silver City Cinema with owner John Wren courtesy Barrier Daily Truth |
Sunday was a Red Cross fundraiser film and afternoon tea event at the local cinema where the premier screening (for the city) of 'The Iron Lady' was on.
It just seemed to be non-stop events, which I'm not complaining about at all.
A few people I was hoping to catch up with had gone away, as summer is a popular time for locals to leave town for a while as it is a very hot time of year and if you're in business, the tourist numbers are usually down around this time.
I stayed at the famous The Palace Hotel for the other three nights I was in town, which was fun. The hotel is very slowly being 'renovated' after the new owners took over in 2009. The hotel itself is huge (three storeys), so it will take some time for the project to be completed.
More updates soon.
Cheers, Jane D