Australia's first Heritage Listed City Broken Hill is brilliant in so very many ways says Melbourne Australia's Jane Deany.
With fantastic art and galleries, history (Silver mining - BHP) and the fabulous desert colours too .... I just love it as my blog says!
ABOUT ilovebrokenhill.com , was first published on 8 December 2011 by Jane Deany. My blog is all about the famous outback Australian National Heritage Listed City namedBroken Hill, located in the state of New South Wales. I first visited #BrokenHill in 2002 and have returned many times since then. ilovebrokenhill.com will help you discover what's great about this historic mining city, where in the mid 1880's the line of lode, a rich ore body of silver, lead and zinc was found. You will find stories about anything related to Broken Hill.
I recently tweeted about www.ilovebrokenhill.com's 5th anniversary. The image I used, which is currently this blog's header image and the picture in this post, prompted the query, is that Browne's Mine? The question was posed by an ex Broken Hill resident. I must say 'well spotted' to them. And I admit, I was initially actually unsure of the headframe's name, so I rang the very helpful #BrokenHill visitor information centre, and together with their help and also reference to Elizabeth Vines' 2010 "Broken Hill A guide to the Silver City" we confirmed the details. The picture is of Junction Mine's wooden headframe that was erected over Browne Shaft in the 1890's. It is the oldest remaining headframe on the #lineoflode. You can see the mine and associated buildings on the Menindee Road, just on the edge of Broken Hill. The image was taken by me around 7am in January 2013. Isn't the light lovely. It's one of the features that Broken Hill is know for i.e. great light and natural vivid colours. It is another reason why Broken Hill is so popular with artists. Enjoy. Cheers, Jane Deany
Mystery* mine headframe near visitor centre Broken Hill
It is www.ilovebrokenhill.com's 5th birthday today 8 December 2016. Thanks to the over 172,000 people who have visited my blog over the past 5 years. Broken Hill has often been in my thoughts over this year. May the city thrive and prosper in the coming years. I will continue to post on a semi random basis. Please stay 'tuned'. Cheers, Jane Deany *Okay, so the mystery mine headframe is from the Kintore Shaft at the Central Mine. The headframe was moved to the 'Kintore Reserve' in Blende Street, from Central Mine in 1984 to make way for open cut mining activities.
Gaara Arts Inc is Broken Hill's all women art group. Also on display is an exhibition by Gayle Rodgers titled "Inspired" and the 2016 Far West Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Prize exhibition. Exhibition details - Date - From Friday 29 January 2016 Place - Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery Address - 404-408 Argent Street, Broken Hill Phone - 08 8080 3440 Hours - Monday - Sunday 10am - 5pm For more details see the following link to the Broken Hill City Council's website. The exhibitions will all run until 13 March 2016. The timing of the Gaara Arts exhibition is designed to coincide with International Women's Day which this year is on 8 March - today. I congratulate the women of Gaara Arts for their continued contribution to the rich art scene in Broken Hill. Enjoy, cheers Jane Deany
Channel 9's 'Today' show will be touring Australia this week and tomorrow morning, Monday 7 March 2016 finds team member Ross Greenwood in ghost town #Silverton, some 26 km from Broken Hill. Filming will be on between 5.30 am - 8 am.
You can get there under your own steam or catch the free shuttle bus at 5am and 6am which leaves from the Broken Hill Visitor Information Centre. If you can't make it, just tune into free to air Channel 9. The Today show team will visit a number of special Australian destinations over the week-long road trip. You can find out more on their website - http://www.9jumpin.com.au/show/today/ Sounds like a lot of fun. Cheers, Jane Deany
Art Scene/Community Event In the lead up to International Women's Day 2016, Gaara Arts Inc is opening their annual art exhibition titled "Looking Forward, Looking Back - A Woman's View" tonight at the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery. Gaara Arts Inc is Broken Hill's all women art group. Also opening tonight is an exhibition by Gayle Rodgers titled "Inspired". Exhibition details - Date - Friday 29 January 2016 Time - 6pm Place - Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery Address - 404-408 Argent Street, Broken Hill Phone - 08 8080 3440 Hours - Monday - Sunday 10am - 5pm For more details see the following link to the Broken Hill City Council's website. The exhibitions will both run until 13 March 2016. The timing of the Gaara Arts exhibition is designed to coincide with International Women's Day which this year is on 8 March. Enjoy, cheers Jane Deany
Art Scene/Community Event The 2016 Far West Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Prize (FWATSIAP) Exhibition opens tonight at the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery. Details - Date - Thursday 28 January 2016 Time - 6pm Place - Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery Address - 404-408 Argent Street, Broken Hill Phone - 08 8080 3440 Hours - Monday - Sunday 10am - 5pm The prize is presented by Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery and West Darling Arts and is supported by Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation. The FWATSIAP comprises 4 awards. A. Open 2 Dimensional Art Prize (1st prize awarded - value $1,500) B. Open 3 Dimensional Art Prize (1st prize awarded -value $1,500) C. Young Artists (1st prize awarded - Art pack to the value of $100) People's Choice Award ($500) For more details see the following link to the Broken Hill City Council's website. The exhibition will run until 13 March 2016. This is an alcohol free event. Enjoy, cheers Jane Deany
Broken Hill Post Office (right) and Town Square (far left)
Community Event Today Broken Hill will officially celebrate the first anniversary of the city's National Heritage Listed City status in celebrations at the Town Square in Argent Street (opposite the Post Office). Time - 9am - 12 noon Official proceedings 9.30am-10am (Central Standard Time). Cost - Free The official proceedings will be live streamed via Periscope@BrokenHillCity (Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browsers required to view). You can find out more information from the Broken Hill City Council website - www.brokenhill.nsw.gov.au/events No doubt it will be lots of fun.
Searching Twitter with #BrokenHill took me to Instagram this time for a story idea for my first www.ilovebrokenhill.com blog post for 2016. Okay, the topic isn't new to my blog, but it's a good one nonetheless. And before I go on about one of my favourite subjects, namely Broken Hill, I wish readers and everyone a very Happy New Year. I hope 2016 is a wonderful year for you all in every way. Back to the Tweet -
A photo posted by Royal Flying Doctor Service (@royalflyingdoc) on
which as you can see, relates to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) in Broken Hill. Today I want to highlight this important service yet again, not just because it provides a great tourist attraction experience for Broken Hill visitors, but because it relies on donations for much of its work and I want to support the fantastic work that they do. Why? Because your and my life may one day quite literally depend upon the RFDS.
The RFDS plays a vital role in the
care of sick and injured people in remote areas such as #BrokenHill
and the Far West Corner of New South Wales.
Broken Hill is in the South Eastern
Section of the RFDS. The RFDS operates in remote areas around Australia and covers over 7.3 million square kilometres.
The Bruce Langford Visitor Centre is at
the RFDS located at the Broken Hill Airport in South Broken Hill and
is open daily. The Centre won the Silver Award for the Tourism Services Category at the Inland NSW Tourism Awards in July 2015.
Visitors are welcome to browse through the Centre and
watch a film about RFDS operations at Broken Hill.
Guided tours are available which
describe the full extent of the RFDS's aeromedical services. Visitors
can view the communications room and, via a viewing platform, they
can see the medically outfitted aircraft and the hangar.
Visitors also have the opportunity to
see a working RFDS in action, every day of the week.
Royal Flying Doctor Service merchandise is available
for purchase at the souvenir shop (or from the RFDS online shop). All
proceeds from sales and admissions go directly towards the vital work
of the RFDS.
Hours - 9 am-5 pm M-F, 10am-3pm S-S and
public holidays.
Closed - Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New
Years Day, Australia Day and Good Friday.
Cost - Adults $8.50, children up to 12
years $4, family $20.00 (2 adults & 2 children under 12 years),
concession & student card holders $7 groups 10 or more $7.
Address - Airport Road, (South) Broken Hill.
Contact - 08 8080 3714
There is also a new medical centre at the Base.
The RFDS in Broken Hill is supported financially in various ways by numerous Broken Hill locals and groups.
If you would like to financially support the RFDS you can donate via a link from their website - www.flyingdoctor.org.au.
I highly recommend you put the RFDS Base and Visitor Centre on your itinerary when you visit Broken Hill. It's a great experience.
The Line of Lode with Miner's Memorial (left) and Broken Earth Complex (right)
Given Broken Hill had the honour, and deservedly so, of becoming Australia's first National Heritage Listed City earlier this year (January 2015), why not take the opportunity to bring the family up to visit the city in the coming Christmas/summer school holidays.
Argent Street streetscape (the main street in Broken Hill).
I can't recommend the City highly enough. Plan at least a few days as there's lots to see. Check out my Broken Hill Attractions page link (see above), for suggestions of what to see and do. Cheers, Jane Deany
