Broken Hill/Silverton
Known as the "Silver City" the town is an oasis in an otherwise harsh outback. The grandeur of the city is still on show for all to see, with the main street dotted with ornate nineteenth century buildings that are testament to the early riches of the town.
Today, Broken Hill is served by good quality roads and offers the visitor a host of experiences. You will find all of the usual amenities, including plenty of accommodation options, authentic watering holes and all other services, automotive and otherwise.
In the past decade the city has reinvented itself, playing host to a number of unique experiences. Visitors can visit the headquarters of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the School of the Air, while a growing number of art galleries are showcasing the ever-expanding local artistic talent.
Among the places to visit, my favourite is to the township of Silverton, a ninety minute drive from Broken Hill. The town came into existence in the 1880s and today a number of well preserved original buildings still exist. What has put Silverton on the map is the fact that it is known as an outback film set, having been the locality for the filming of various movies. The best known of these is the first Mad Max movie starring a young Mal Gibson, and today you can still see a replica of the car he drove parked outside the Silverton Hotel. Inside is an interesting collection of movie memorabilia and shots of various stars visiting the pub. Along with the pub, you can ride a camel and visit local art and craft galleries. West of the town, the Mundi Mundi lookout offers views over seemingly endless plains.
North from Broken Hill is Mootwingee and White Cliffs. A road forks off the Silver City Highway and runs through the Stanley Barrier Range, then across open plains, criss-crossed by dry creek beds. The Mootwingee National Park, situated in the picturesque Byngnano Range, preserves several extraordinary galleries of Aboriginal rock art. The paintings and carvings are quite outstanding, with walks around rock art galleries conducted by NPS rangers. The three-hour return walk to Homestead Gorge offers the widest variety of rock art as well as spectacular gorge scenery. Expect to see an abundance of wildlife, including wedge-tailed eagles. White Cliffs is a further 150km on and is one of Australia's oldest opal mining sites. Most of the town's population live and work underground and there are thousands of mining shafts across the landscape. There are tours of underground mines and homes, and visitors can also fossick for opals.
North the history trail continues with Depot Glen reached via Milparinka, while Tibooburra is the most northerly NSW town, about 50km from the Corner, where three states converge.
