We had a cold night and as nothing had really been planned for today, we stayed in bed until 8:00am. One could get use to this lifestyle.
Our first stop today was to take a photographs of the area where the first shaft was sunk. We were informed by the visitor’s centre of where to take the photograph but after locating the site and taking photos, we found a road that actually took us up to the site of the mine. Much to our surprise we found that the mine site was open for public inspection and had actually been kept intact since it was closed.
Junction Mine was recorded as the first shaft sunk in the “Line of Lode”. It is at the eastern end of Broken Hill and much of the original equipment still stands as it was left. We spent a fair amount of time here exploring the site and finding different angles to take pictures. We had the opportunity to speak with one of the locals who was photographing some of the relics (he was an artist) and the information provided to us started to paint a picture of what Broken Hill is all about. We were told about the new film studio precinct that had been created within an old power station and other information about a new mine that was about to open.
We returned to the motor home as a tourist bus arrived and decided to take a look at the old power station. When the motor home was started, a warning light came on and reference to the manual confirmed that the light indicated a “generic failure”. What that means, we have no idea. We stopped and restarted the motor home and the light disappeared. This is another mystery from the Iveco computer.
We headed to the “Line of Lode” (a mullock heap) which dissects Broken Hill. This is where the primary ore body is located. There is also small café located there and that is where we had morning tea. Also on the site is a memorial to the 800 or more miners who lost their lives working along the Line of Lode. The building itself is a metaphor for the underground lives of the miners, evoking the damp, claustrophobic underground environment and audio-visuals of miners at work. The views over Broken Hill are uninterrupted and spectacular.
Next we headed to Silverton and the Mundi Mundi lookout. Located about five kilometres West of Silverton, the Mundi Mundi Plains is a truly breathtaking place. On a clear day the curvature of the earth can be seen. This area was also made famous as it was the site of the crash scene of Mad Max 2. Apparently there is still evidence of the old sets from the movie. We both took several photographs from this lookout and a copy of the panorama created from the images will be added to this page.
Before returning to Silverton we continued on to Umberumberka where Broken Hill’s third supply of water is stored. It is amazing to see a dam wall located close to a desert region. We finally returned to Silverton and parked near the famous Silverton Hotel.
Silverton is located 25 kilometres north west of Broken Hill on the Silverton Common, a 12,0000 acre Crown Reserve. The Silverton Common has existed for 114 years. Silverton was built by miners in search of fortune. Once a bustling home to 3,000 people, residents began to leave in the 1880s when the nearby mines of Broken Hill surfaced. These days less than 50 people call Silverton home and only a handful of buildings dot the landscape. Silverton offers a thriving art scene, a beautiful landscape and an accessible way to learn about the rich heritage of the region.
Leaving the motor home behind, we spent time walking around Silverton and visited all of the art galleries. We finally returned to the hotel where we both enjoyed a cool drink. We were also amazed to see a couple of donkeys calmly walking around the streets and across the main road. The proprietor of one of the art gallery had left a supply of water near the front of the gallery for the donkeys. We also noticed numerous horses in the area that were loose and free to roam.
We headed back to Broken Hill late in the afternoon with intentions of early showers and an evening meal.
Whilst “He” was cooking our evening meal at the camp kitchen, a conversation with another couple revealed that we had mutual friends. It really is a small world.