A Volkswagon beetle pays homage to the Mad Max V8 interceptor outside the Silverton Hotel, Silverton Credit: Destination NSW

Often referred to as the Accessible Outback, it is a very different kind of Outback that greets you.

Broken Hill and the surrounding area offers a breathtaking range of diverse landscapes, with vibrant green among the ochre desert and incredibly clear views of the stars. 

The city’s skyline itself is a nod to the nation’s mining history with the Line of Lode running like a vein through the city centre and poppit heads standing in salute to the city’s mining and industrial history.

RED DESERT AND A GLITTERING NIGHT SKY

Photography enthusiasts love to capture the light – especially at the Living Desert Reserve. The reserve is home to 12 sandstone sculptures which highlight the skyline, each with its own story. Sunset is the perfect time to stand among the sculptures, which is one of the most photographed sites in Broken Hill. Created by 12 international artists in 1993, these sculptures stand proudly on a hilltop with an incredible backdrop of the endless expanse of the desert beyond. Tread the 900-metre track from the picnic area to fully appreciate the majesty of these works and snap them in their best light. Also in the reserve is the Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, 180 hectares of native plants with a spectacular cultural walk trail,  Sturt Desert Pea wildflower display, Aboriginal attractions, and the Starview Primitive Campsite.

Couple enjoy a sky show at Outback Astronomy, Broken Hill Credit: Destination NSW

The Mundi Mundi Plains near Silverton is the perfect spot for a champagne picnic at dusk. From the top of the hill, the flat plains stretch out for eternity (you can see the curvature of the earth) and watching the light change as the sun sets is  unforgettable. Silverton is also home to the iconic Silverton Hotel – star of many movies including Razorback, Wake in Fright, The Slim Dusty Movie, Mission Impossible II (the list continues) or any of the many TV ads filmed here. Inside the pub photos of the many films, TV shows and adverts adorn the walls and you might spy some famous faces in these photos as well.

Silverton is also home to one of Australia’s largest music festivals - the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash – a family friendly music festival held in August each year. Whether you’re a lover of camping, caravanning, outback adventure or great Aussie music, the Bash has something for you, your family and friends.

A visit to the award-winning Outback Astronomy will also make sense of what you see in the sky at night. The sky shows introduce you to stars, constellations and other objects by a knowledgeable guide.

Keanu Bates sharing Aboriginal art and culture on a guided tour through Mutawintji National Park Credit: Destination NSW

AN ANCIENT HISTORY

The Wilyakali people have occupied the lands around Broken Hill for thousands of years and continue to care for the environment and maintain their traditional knowledge to pass onto the younger generations.

A day in the Mutawintji National Park is a uniquely Australian experience – along with the ruggedly beautiful desert landscape, you’ll find evidence of continuous use by Aboriginal people for thousands of years, including hand stencils and other important cultural sites.

Mutawintji Heritage Tours leads half-day excursions through Mutawintji  National Park, where ochre-hued gorges and rock-scattered plains serve as pin-ups for outback landscapes. Within the park are historic sites with access granted only to the Mutawintji Aboriginal Land Council, whose Aboriginal guides  run the tours here and share revered local stories. See rock engravings and ochre stencils up close or take the amphitheatre gorge walk to slip between ancient cliffs for a glimpse of preserved Aboriginal art. Add an art workshop or bush food discovery to make a full-day experience.

Wontanella Tours also share the local cultural heritage with visitors and takes groups on a two-hour wander along the edge of Menindee Lakes, sharing stories, cultural sites, knowledge of endemic flora and fauna, and a yarn over billy tea along the way.

Couple stepping back into time at Bell’s Milk Bar, Broken Hill Credit: Destination NSW

MINING AND THE MINERALOGICAL RAINFOREST

Broken Hill is Australia’s premier mineral locality and is in the top five mineral localities in the world with over 300 specimens found in the district; the unique geology of Broken Hill and the diverse array of the spectacular mineral specimens have been the subject  of many papers and publications; including the Minerals of Broken Hill published in 1999 by Broken Hill City Council and Museum Victoria. The Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum, also known as the GeoCentre, represents the extensive mineral history of Broken Hill. This geological science museum boasts a 42kg silver nugget as well as a large mineral collection, and it is home to the Silver Tree. The interpretive centre’s hand-on displays highlight the history of the planet and the science of crystals. At the Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum you can explore all aspects of Broken Hill’s unique geology, as well as the earth sciences of mineralogy and metallurgy. In addition, the museum highlights the rich social history of the town.

Visitors at Albert Kersten Mining and Mineral Museum, Broken Hill Credit: Destination NSW

MINER’S MEMORIAL

The Line of Lode Miner’s Memorial is an icon for Broken Hill and the Australian mining industry. It is also a symbolic and spiritual representation of the human tragedy of more than 800 deaths since mining commenced in Broken Hill in 1883. The Line of Lode is the ore body that bisects the town.

ARTS AND CULTURE

The region has a long history of engendering and attracting artists, inspired by the surreal landscape. Two of the region’s well known painters were Pro Hart and Jack Absalom; both popularised Outback painting and have galleries in Broken Hill. You’ll find contemporary artists at Willy Nilly Art Gallery, which houses the paintings of fourth-generation resident Amanda Johnson. Then pop into the family-run Amanya Mitha Indigenous Gallery to admire and purchase an authentic artefact made by Aboriginal owner Clint Kemp and his father, Paul. The gallery also houses pieces from local NSW and central Australian Aboriginal artists, including jewellery, woodwork and paintings, and runs regular holiday programs for kids to create their own artefacts and learn about culture.

Broken Hill City Gallery also has an excellent calendar of exhibitions. Highlights on the calendar include the Maari Ma Indigenous Art Awards and Pro Hart Outback Art prize but there is always an exhibition that will capture the imagination.

Pro Hart’s Studio and Gallery, Broken Hill Credit: Destination NSW

Broken Hill is also a part of the nation’s drag scene since the iconic Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was released in 1994. Scenes were filmed in the historic Palace Hotel – you can stay in the same room that the characters stayed in, which has been renamed the Priscilla Suite and decorated flamboyantly. You can  also try your luck at the Palace where two-up is played all year round.

The Broken Heel Festival is a four-day extravaganza in September, where the best queens from around Australia descend on the town. You can see comedy, live music, social activities and a street parade, Main Drag in Drag.

There’s more for film buffs – Mad Max 2 was shot around Broken Hill and released in 1981. Visit the Mad Max Museum in Silverton and wander through the large collection of photographs, costumes and memorabilia.

And if you like “Big Things” don’t forget to visit the Big Picture.

The Big picture at the Silver City Mint was created by Peter Anderson on a canvas that is 100 metres long & 12 metres at its highest point! Ando had a vision and was able to take that first brush stroke and a million more to finish the 100,000 saltbush, 20,000  trees, 20,000 small stones, 1000 large stones, 3000 clouds, 1500 hills and the 12 sculptures which comprise The Big Picture - the World’s Largest Acrylic Painting on Canvas by a single artist.

Exterior view of the historic Palace Hotel, Broken Hill Credit: Destination NSW

BEFORE YOU GO ….

Don’t forget to visit one of outback Australia’s most incredible services, The Royal Flying Doctor Outback Heritage Experience. Take a guided tour to learn about past and present-day operations and logistics of providing medical care to remote regions and the moving stories that go with it or walk yourself through the hangar and control rooms from which aid is dispensed to 640,000 square kilometres of outback.

GETTING HERE

From Sydney there are two main routes. The most direct one (1144km/13 hours) is via the Blue  Mountains to Mudgee and Dubbo on to Nyngan, Cobar, Wilcannia and Broken Hill. The road less travelled is via the Riverina. Head south along the Hume Highway from Sydney then take the Sturt Highway to Wagga Wagga and the Riverina, meeting the mighty Murray at Euston and then on to Mildura and Wentworth. From here, go north along the Silver City Highway to Broken Hill (1309km/14 hours).

From Melbourne take the Calder Highway to Mildura, then north through Wentworth and on to Broken Hill (837km/9 hours). If you have a little more time, you can divert through Pooncarie and Menindee, follow the course of the Darling River and take in two great local areas (915km/10 hours). From Adelaide the two main routes are the Barrier Highway north through Gawler and Burra, then north-east to Broken Hill (515km/5 hours 45 minutes). Alternatively, head through the Barossa Valley and pick up the Sturt Highway just north of Gawler, then east through Renmark on to Mildura, Wentworth and Broken Hill (674km/7.5 hours).

Memorabilia from the Mad Max film on display at the Mad Max Museum Credit: Destination NSW

Category: Destinations
Written: Tue 01 Aug 2023
Printed: August, 2023
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