Now but a shadow of its 1880s glory days, when its population peaked at 3000, the former silver-mining centre of Silverton, 25 km north-west of Broken Hill, NSW, has become a magnet for visual artists. They include Peter Browne, whose emu caricatures painted on abandoned VWs have been seen around the world.

A red kangaroo perfectly adapted to arid zone conditions, stands tall in Kinchega National Park. This species is the world’s largest marsupial.

Broken Hill’s outback location makes it perfect for exploring Australia’s heartland

Mining still provides about one-third of the town’s income. And the industry continues to play a vital role in the town’s psyche, contributing particularly to a worldliness uncommon in remote Australia.

An aerial view of Broken Hill highlights its isolation and the serene beauty of its desolate surrounds.

Flights can be chartered to view Broken Hill from the air, the best way to get perspective of the town and it surrounds.

Due to it’s far flung location Broken Hill plays is a great entry point to outback NSW and allows the adventurer a perfect beginning.

Boken Hill’s Flora and Flora sanctuary contain uspoilt natural landscapes and unmissable contemporary and traditional indigenous artworks.

Broken Hill’s streets remind visitors of the pioneering past with its heritage buildings and icionic Australian architecture.

Mining the Broken Hill lode these days is complex and it’s said that if you can make it here you can make it anywhere in the industry. The current mine is operating on an 10-year plan.

Line of Lode miners memorial in Broken Hill, commemorates all the miners lives lost in the town’s main industry.

Lists at the Line of Lode memorial in Broken Hill contains the names of the more than 800 miners who have died in mining accidents.

Since the early 1980s, more than 300 film and media productions have been shot in and around Broken Hill and film is now promoted as a major growth industry for the town. Much media attention recently focused on plans to shoot Fury Road – the fourth movie in the Mad Max franchise – here. Mad Max 2 was famously shot in the region.

Broken Hill is surrounded by its marks of its mining industry, the Line of the Lode memorial looks down on Broken Hill from atop the ‘mullock heap’

Historic structures, such as the Junction
chloride, lead and silver mine headframe also recall
a rich mining history.

The town of Menindee sits next to the stunning Darling River which can be reached easily from Broken Hill.

The Darling river cuts through the arid landscape, connecting with the basins in the area and is striking when seen from the air

Menindee Lakes Water Storage System supplying Broken Hill. Like the system’s other three main lakes, Pamamaroo’s water levels have been heavily controlled since the 1960s.

While the explosion of life is spectacular, the feature that visual artists most love about this country is its much-vaunted light.

Expanses of dead red gums, silhouetted here at sunset in Lake Pamamaroo, have become an unofficial symbol of the Menindee Lakes Water Storage
System supplying Broken Hill.

Native species flourish during heavy rains but can still be found in Broken Hill’s surrounding lakes constantly.

An adult male emu leads chicks foraging for plants and insects in Broken Hill’s surrounds.

Camels are also a common feature of the landscape around Broken Hill occupying land that alongside a vast array of native species.

Much media attention recently focused on plans to shoot Fury Road – the fourth movie in the Mad Max franchise – here. Mad Max 2 was famously shot in the region.

Nearby Silverton, is home to its famous hotel that has featured in Autralian productions including Dirty Deeds, Mad Max 2 and houses a musem for visitors.

Broken Hill’s main street.