Lifeline Broken Hill’s annual art exhibition 30 June – 15 July 2012

GeoCentre photo from VISITNSW.COM

Art Scene

Lifeline Broken Hill’s annual fund raising art exhibition is on again.  The opening night was earlier this evening at the Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum also known as the GeoCentre.

Address:         2 Bromide Street, Corner Silver City Highway aka Crystal Street, Broken Hill

The centre is open 1 pm – 5 pm Saturday and Sunday and 10 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday

Entry is by gold coin donation.

The catalogue lists 50 artists and 139 exhibits and prices range from $55 to $3,000.  There is a range of media used.  The artists pay an $8 hanging fee and receive 25% of whatever they sell according to Trevor Odgers the event organiser.

It is definitely a worthwhile cause so do try and go along and support the wonderful work of Lifeline.  I went to the exhibition several years ago.  I was actually lucky enough to attend on the opening night which was a lot of fun and there was some great art there.

Call 13 11 14 if you need Lifeline's crisis assistance.

Cheers, Jane D

Uranium mining to come to Broken Hill region after ban lifted

Mining Industry

The NSW Government has recently lifted a 28 year ban on uranium exploration and a South Australian explorer – Marmota Energy – is to become one of the first companies to take advantage of this change which came about in March this year.

Map of Australian uranium mines courtesy
World Nuclear Association (WNA)

On 20 April 2012, Marmota Energy announced that they had applied for three new uranium prospective tenements north-west of Broken Hill.  The “Barrier Daily Truth” (BDT) reported on 21 April 2012 that Marmota Energy indicated that they considered the three areas to be as prospective as their Junction Dam uranium project in South Australia.  The company also indicated that the project areas were strategically located close to good infrastructure and within about 70km of Broken Hill.

Significantly, the area lies “within Lake Frome Embayment, the same geological province that hosts other world class sandstone-hosted uranium deposits.”

The full article from the BDT can be read here.

You may also find it interesting to peruse the World Nuclear Association website here which I came across whilst researching this post.

Standby for further updates on this fascinating and often controversial subject.

Cheers, Jane D

Broken Hill Art Exchange exhibition Angel Arts - 23 to 30 June 2012

logo BH Art
Exchange

Art Scene

Artist Angel Arts, originally from Sydney, has now come to call Broken Hill home.  He is having an exhibition at the Broken Hill Art Exchange.  The exhibition “C’est la Vie” (such is life) is his first exhibition in Broken Hill.



The exhibition is being held at –

STUDIO 3 Gallery, 145-157 Duff Street, Broken Hill (South),
(the old Duff Street shopping centre area).

Exhibition dates are 23 – 30 June 2012.

His colourful work shows influences of Picasso and German expressionism.  He lived and exhibited in Germany for 10 years.

The opening night was on Friday 22 June 2012.  If you managed to go along, please feel free to leave a comment to tell us what you thought of Angel’s work.

Cheers, Jane D

Tour De Foodies – Broken Hill 21 June 2012

“A Guide to Dining out in Broken Hill” is a group that has been set up on facebook which is designed to be “a place where you can be proactive about the foods you eat and the service you get from the restaurants, delis, cafes, clubs, pubs, fast foods, homes of Broken Hill….”  Sounds like a great idea, I’ve joined, there are some great restaurants and cafes in Broken Hill.

Not sure if the group includes neighbouring Silverton, but I can confirm the one café in this small town, the Silverton Café does a really great “feed”.  Very tasty, open daily and it’s licensed.  (note I don’t think they don’t take credit cards-check to be sure)  There’s the famous Silverton Hotel also, but I’ve never eaten there so I can’t comment.  Feel free to let us know if you have, especially if you enjoyed it.

Back to Broken Hill and this week is the inaugural “Tour De Foodies” is on.  It’s a restaurant crawl in other words.  It is planned to get together monthly on the third Thursday of each month.  The idea is that the group would try out three different parts of a menu in three different locations.



Broken Earth Cafe/Restaurant Broken Hill

The venues for the first event are as follows.   “Foodies” will start at 6pm at The Broken Earth Café/Restaurant for entrees, then Mr Pickwicks for mains and the Mulga for dessert.  A bus will ferry the diners around.

According to the article in the Barrier Daily Truth (BDT) on 2 May 2012 one of the organisers Georgie Blore said “It’s not about critiquing food; it’s about having a good night out and meeting people”.  Georgie and a couple of friends have set up the group.  It’s a non profit fun gathering and each person pays for their own meal and drinks.  Look at the "A Guide to Dining out in Broken Hill" site for more information.

I’d love to hear how it goes, according to facebook there is a lot of local interest.  I’m sure there will be lots of follow up comments on facebook.  Enjoy.

Cheers indeed, Jane D

Broken Hill band No Exit playing Saturday 16 June 2012 @Demo Club

‘No Exit’ the very well known local Broken Hill band are playing tomorrow night at the Demo Club.  The gig starts at 7.30pm.  I’ve seen them play at the Demo Club (Barrier Social Democratic Club/The Democratic Club) before and elsewhere and they’re great.

Address:         214 Argent Street, Broken Hill NSW 2880

I recommend it.  Lots of fun.

Cheers, Jane D

Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery new exhibition 16 June - 29 July 2012

Art Scene

The Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery will open a new exhibition this coming Saturday 16 June 2012.  There will be four exhibitions –

Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery

Bankstown Sister City Exhibition
- Noelene Holten

Broken Hill: The Past and The Present
- Josh Cowdrey and Jordan Kowalski

Jamie Billing Photographic Exhibition

ABC Open's "Now And Then" Project

(The advertised 2012 Far West Emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Prize exhibition also scheduled has unfortunately been delayed until 2013.)

It sounds a really fabulous exhibition.  My brief contact with Jordan Kowalski who has provided this lovely image below has really made me wish I was up in Broken Hill again but unfortunately I am in Melbourne so I won’t be able to make the trip.  Please be my eyes and tell me how you found the exhibition.

Broken Hill Past and Present Exhibition June 2012.

Past - Broken Hill clock tower, Argent Street - c. 1900 (Broken Shire).

Present - Broken Hill clock tower and the Royal Exchange, Argent Street - 2012.

Photograph - Jordan Kowalski

Editing - Josh Cowdrey

The exhibition details –

Opening night Friday 15 June 2012, 6.30 p.m.

Exhibition 16 June to 29 July 2012

Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery – 404-408 Argent Street, Broken Hill NSW 2880

Telephone: 08-8080 3440

Gallery hours are 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily. Entry is by gold coin donation. The gallery is wheelchair accessible.

"Sparrow Hawk" by Jamie Billing

Jamie Billing is an indigenous photographer located in Broken Hill. This photo is titled "Sparrow Hawk", which is the meaning of the subject’s name (Kirriki) in English.  It has been translated from the Ngiyampaa language people from the Cobar area.  Jamie is also a Ngiyampaa person.

Cheers, Jane D

Broken Hill's new fine dining at the Royal Exchange Hotel and coffee experience at Gloria Jean's both now open June 2012

There are two new entertainment options in Broken Hill which have both opened in the first week or so of June.  They will be welcome additions to the city I am sure.

The Royal Exchange Hotel courtesy Ilmar V

The Royal Exchange Hotel has at last re-opened its beautiful and atmospheric restaurant to evening diners.  John Gavranich, who purchased the Hotel in November 2011 was quoted in the Barrier Daily Truth last Saturday 2 June 2012 as saying “I always wanted to do it but I wanted to get it right.”  John said “I’m offering the whole experience with both fine dining and entertainment.”

The talented chef Lee Cecchin will be in charge of the kitchen and pianist Clive Gregory will entertain the diners.  The restaurant will open at 6.30pm Tuesday to Saturday evenings.  You can book by phoning (08) 8087 2308.  I had a lovely cooked breakfast there in January this year and the room has a really lovely ambiance. 

The Broken Hill Visitor Information Centre has as last got its café back.  The Tourist and Travellers Centre café has been closed since May 2011.  Craig Willoughby and his wife, well known local artist Julie Hart have been working on the project for 12 months.  I met Craig in January this year and he told me of their plan to open the Gloria Jean’s ‘coffee house’ in the near future.  He explained it would be the first of Gloria Jean’s new redesigned coffee house experiences.  The café officially opened today although it has unofficially been open since last month.  The first unofficial day saw about 2,000 people come in for some refreshments.

The café’s hours are Monday to Saturday 7am to 6pm and Sunday 8am to 8pm.  It’s planned that the shop will eventually open until 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights.

I am really pleased that there is a café back at the visitor centre as it wasn’t a welcoming sight to have the empty café there especially for so long.

Cheers, Jane D