Drag Bingo yes, you heard it #dragbingo. Where else but #BrokenHill

Shelita Buffet AKA Brendan Barlow (L) and
Christina Kneesup AKA Chris Harvey (R) calling
the bingo numbers at drag bingo in Broken Hill

Drag Bingo - Broken Hill

There's a regular thing happening monthly on a Tuesday night in downtown #BrokenHill.

What you might ask? It's 'drag bingo'.

Where you might ask? At The Palace Hotel Broken Hill no less. Or should I say - no surprise.

Tonight it was a full house and the room was buzzing and very colourful language was flying as the #bingo numbers were called.

If you're not into bingo, it might still be worth a look for something different to do. Everyone seemed to be having a great time.

Don't worry if you forgot your drag outfit, that's optional. The number callers more than make up for it.

I recognised local Palace Hotel staff member Brendan Barlow (red head) AKA Shelita Buffet. Her 'fellow' bingo caller (assistant?) is Chris Harvey AKA Christina Kneesup.

Cheers, Jane Deany

I love Broken Hill

Me at Broken Hill Station for the 2014 Indian Pacific Christmas concert

I think everyone knows I love Broken Hill.

Today's post will be my 290th article and I have a really simple message to share.

I am often asked do I get paid or receive money directly from this blog and the answer is no.

One day I might receive recompense in a monetary form, but I haven't really tried to make money directly from www.ilovebrokenhill.com.

The Palace Hotel Broken Hill has accommodated me briefly in the past, thanks again Esther La Rovere (I wrote a blog post on 24 September 2013 about my stay to thank The Palace Hotel team), and Outback Astronomy treated me as their guest for a wonderful night sky viewing late last year, thanks Linda and Travis Nadge. Linda wrote a blog post for www.ilovebrokenhill.com on 28 May 2014, as my first (and so far only) guest blogger on she and her husband's new astronomy tourism business. It was a great night.

So to answer the money making query another way is, as my blog revolves around loving something, namely Broken Hill, and a true demonstration of loving anything, as you may know, is about giving without expecting anything in return, therefore, I don't expect to make money from something I love!

Mind you, there's a saying - "do something you love and the money will follow" - but that's another story for another day ;-)

Cheers, Jane Deany

Palace Hotel #BrokenHill has same architect #AlfredDunn as my local Uniting Church

The Palace Hotel
Argent Street, Broken Hill

While surfing Twitter for #BrokenHill stories and news recently, I found a curious connection to my local suburb of Hawthorn.

It turns out that the architect of the very impressive local Auburn Uniting Church (in Hawthorn East) is the same architect as Broken Hill's The Palace Hotel.

The styles appear different but so is the purpose of both buildings so I guess it's not surprising that there would be some difference in their appearance.

Auburn Uniting Church

It's a slightly obscure connection between Broken Hill and my suburb of Hawthorn, but hey, it's a connection nonetheless, which is why I thought it was of interest.

Here's the tweet which drew my attention to the link.

Congratulations #BrokenHill , nominated as Aust's first Heritage City. Home of the Palace Hotel, designed by our architect, #AlfredDunn.
— Auburn Tower (@AuburnTower) October 17, 2014

Great to hear them acknowledge in this way, Broken Hill's progress towards becoming Australia's first Heritage city.

That's an exciting journey for Broken Hill which I'm watching with interest.

Cheers, Jane Deany

I love The Palace Hotel Broken Hill, you will too

The Palace Hotel Broken Hill

The Palace Hotel Broken Hill
A trip to Broken Hill is not complete without a visit to The Palace Hotel (The Palace) on Broken Hill's main drag in Argent Street. And speaking of drag, the drag queens from The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert fame, spent time at The Palace. In fact some of this legendary movie was filmed there, and the drag queens helped to make the hotel the internationally famous place it has become. But this beautiful hotel's history dates back well before the days of 'Priscilla' in 1994. The Palace Hotel was built in 1889 and was designed by a Melbourne architect. It actually started life as a coffee palace.

Me (left) with Traci-Lee Powles (centre) and Esther La Rovere

But it's not only drag queens that still pop in on a regular basis, it's a place where you'll find miners and other colourful friendly locals, mixing it up with business travellers and the many tourists that pass through Broken Hill every day. All enjoy the same friendly and helpful service that I've come to enjoy each time I visit The Palace, as host Esther La Rovere and the whole Palace team ensure a warm welcome to all who visit a place they're obviously very proud of.

Sunset at The Palace Hotel

The hotel offers a wide range of accommodation from deluxe renovated en suite rooms to pub style rooms with the bathrooms down the hall. There's even dorm accommodation for the budget traveller. You'll also find heritage architecture, lots of history, art, award winning food, a bar, the lovely wide verandah and balcony, regular live entertainment, weekly Two Up and a fabulous unique atmosphere which I'm sure you won't find anywhere else in the world. There are impressive murals and painted ceilings everywhere, quirky curios in the reception area, a soon to be re-opened second bar (it's being renovated). There are also plans for a cafe on the corner. I can't wait for that to open as it's a spot bursting with cafe potential.

Two Up action, ps that's Jeff Kennet in the
background cheering as Hawthorn just beat Geelong
to get into the AFL Grand Final in Victoria, Yeah!

I normally don't discuss where I stay when I visit Broken Hill, as my blog is not about promoting anything other than all the good things about Broken Hill itself. I've not specifically advertised a business, other than the occasional mention as part of an article.

On this occasion I decided to invite The Palace to do a collaborative promotion with me because I wanted to really sing the praises of this majestic hotel as being more than just a place to stay, drink or eat, it really is an almost essential part of any itinerary when planning a visit to Broken Hill. In fact I think it's an experience not to be missed.

Esther La Rovere (left) and Traci-Lee Powles

I've stayed at The Palace several times before, but on this trip, for a couple of days I was a guest of management which gave me a chance to really explore and soak up what a stay at The Palace is really like from the point of view of someone writing a feature article, on one busy weekend at the start of the peak tourist season. I can tell you, everyone was having a lot of fun.


Whether you stay a few nights, come for dinner, have a few drinks, play Two Up, listen to a local or visiting band, catch up with friends or family, shoot some pool or maybe just take a few photos, you really must check out The Palace Hotel Broken Hill, you'll love it.

ps The Palace Hotel was recently presented with a "Certificate of Excellence" 2013 award by high profile on-line travel rating service TripAdvisor (the world's largest travel site according to comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, March 2013).

Recipients receive the award in recognition for being in the top 10% of businesses as rated on the TripAdvisor site.


Enjoy the hospitality, cheers, Jane D

Local bands 'Exhumed' by ABC Broken Hill at The Palace Hotel tonight

The Palace Hotel - 227 Argent Street, Broken Hill

Entertainment
Tonight's music 'festival' is just getting underway at The Palace Hotel in Broken Hill.

The best part about the event is it's FREE!

Several Broken Hill bands are performing including the Silver City Comets, Blue Ridge, Static Rock and Soulforge.  All were entries in ABC Local Radio's 'Exhumed' competition.

ABC Local Radio stations across Australia were involved in the 'Exhumed' competition, a band competition with a difference. It's not for wannabe's or has-beens, it for the never-weres. Bands who play music just for the sheer love of it.

'The Silver City Comets' courtesy ABC Broken Hill

The winner for the ABC Broken Hill region was local Broken Hill heavy metal band 'Soulforge' so congratulations to them. They now go on to the next phase of the competition where six bands are chosen by the public from across Australia for the people's choice award.

For more information about the winning bands from across Australia, and for how to vote, please see the following link to ABC Local Radio's 'Exhumed' link -
www.abc.net.au/tv/exhumed/bands/#

ABC Broken Hill news journalist and former rock n' roll writer Jack Marx is hosting this showcase event at The Palace Hotel. Jack will explore the 'back story' to how the local bands came about. It sounds like a fantastic night for music lovers, especially if you like great live bands. I've seen Blue Ridge and the Silver City Comets play before and they're great. I wish I could be there as it sounds like a really fun night.

Please follow the link here if you'd like to hear Jack Marx interview the Silver City Comets.

The Palace Hotel - 227 Argent Street, Broken Hill.

Time - From 8.30pm.

FREE EVENT!!

Enjoy, cheers, Jane D

Outburst's Tracy sings karaoke The Palace Hotel Broken Hill tonight

The Palace Hotel Broken Hill

Entertainment

Broken Hill's Tracy Peduto of Outburst will be 'powering out her karaoke hits' tonight Saturday 6 April 2013 at The Palace Hotel.

It should be a fun night.

I know that going to 'The Palace' makes for a great night anyhow with their fab - 2013  Good Pub Food Guide 2 Scooner - award winning food and funky retro vibe.

The Palace Hotel is at 227 Argent Street, Corner Chloride Street, Broken Hill.
Phone: 08 8088 1699

I saw Tracy sing at 'The Palace' earlier this year and she has an amazing range of songs and can sing up a storm.

You can see she really loves performing.

Tracy (singing) with her 'back-up'
crew, her mother

Lots of people ended up singing including me, as well as some lovely travellers I met that night, Steve and his sister Sue.

It ended up quite a late night.

So I can definitely say that I recommend it as a lot of fun.

Make sure you book if you would like a meal as it's a very popular venue.

Enjoy!

Cheers, Jane Deany

Broken Hill's Georgie Blore entertains with karaoke at Palace 9 March

George E Blore courtesy
Facebook profile photo

Entertainment

Georgie Blore, is singing karaoke tonight at The Palace Hotel. Sounds like a fun night out.  I know going to The Palace makes for a great night anyhow with their tasty meals and slightly retro, buzzy vibe.

The Palace Hotel is at 227 Argent Street, Corner Chloride Street.

The Palace Hotel

When Georgie isn't singing, she's organising social dining get togethers through a group she set up on Facebook A Guide to Dining Out in Broken Hill, Tour De Foodies events. Check it out. It's an open group designed as a monthly get together for a dining experience at three dining venues (restaurants/ cafes/ pubs/ clubs) on the one night and catching up with and meeting new people.

Next Tour De Foodies is on 20 March 2013, 2013, 6.30pm at Comfort Inn Hilltop (book via Facebook).

Get down to The Palace for a fun night out and support Georgie (whom I have not yet met).

If you miss that, or want to hear more, Georgie will also sing at Alma Hotel 212 Hebbard Street, Broken Hill on Sunday at 5.30pm.

Enjoy, cheers, Jane D

2007 and it's back to Broken Hill again ...

After the brief, second trip back to Broken Hill in 2005-2006, I was keen to go again and this time stay longer. 

The Route

Heading off via the historic gold mining city of Bendigo (Vic) for an art exhibition (barbed wire sculptures by an artist friend of mine’s brother Barry McLoughlan), it was then on to Mildura for a night.  My travel companion and I arrived in Broken Hill on Sunday 24^th June 2007.

Winter in the outback can be cold …

It was winter this time and many visitors are a little surprised to find how cold Broken Hill can be at this time of year.  But the sky is still very often a clear beutiful blue.  It’s typical of many inland desert towns and cities.  As well as look around the town in more detail this time, I had another friend to show around who’d never been to Broken Hill.  I enjoy being a ‘tour guide’.  I revisited many of the places I’d been to on the last visit, partly to show my friend around, and partly because I enjoyed going there again myself.



Broken Hill Post Office
corner Argent and Chloride Streets

Unique Street Names

The heart of town is situated on Argent Street, which is just one of the many street names based on the names of various mineral related matter.  Some examples included Oxide, Sulphide, Chloride, Mercury, Cobalt, Blende, Beryl, Garnet, Zebina, Bromide, Mica and Crystal Streets.



The Palace Hotel
corner Argent and Sulphide Streets

Argent Street is a vibrant strip of shops, cafes, accommodation venues, clubs, banks, real estate agents and the post office, just to name a few.  The Broken Regional Art Gallery and the famous Mario’s Palace Hotel (now known as The Palace Hotel (Broken Hill) after new owners took over in 2009) are also situated in this strip.



Silverton Hotel and Mad Max vehicle

Silverton

We also visited Silverton (my second trip there), a town some 25 kilometers north west of Broken Hill.  It has a variety of historic sites and art galleries to visit.  There’s the famous Silverton Hotel, a wonderful café with very tasty food with some unique dishes, an old gaol and a school museum. 

I stayed in Broken Hill until the 4^th July on this trip, my friend had left on 28^th June.  Knowing our separate schedules we’d both taken our own cars.

More stories to follow ...

Cheers, Jane D