Monday, July 28, 2008

Broken Hill and beyond


I like Broken Hill - it has big wide streets, (speed limit 40k - oops) most named after mineral type things like Argent, Oxide, Iodide, Bromide, Kaolin and Silver; and lots of dirt.

The town is centered on the Line of Lode - a massive deposit of silver/lead/zinc ore that transformed a boundary rider into a very wealthy man. It took me a while to realise that the hills around the city were mullock and slag heaps from the years of mining activity and that the 'Broken Hill' was part of those heaps.
Art galleries and Mineral museums and Industrial landmarks are everywhere as are references to the town's strong Trade Union history.

The fact that it was the middle of 'winter' when we were there did make the visit a lot more pleasant than it would have been in a 38C Summer, the accommodation was reasonable and not overpriced and there was even a Local Yarn Shop to visit.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

We went West...

to the NSW Outback.

At White Cliffs we stayed underground in the Dug Out Motel and explored its winding corridors and rooms.


We carefully travelled through the strange landscape of dugouts and mullock heaps and fossicked for opals through the huge piles of stones (with no success)

We drove hundreds of kilometers down long straight highways with Kangaroos and cattle - (alive and dead) - and admired the huge Wedge Tailed Eagles as they soared overhead or fed on the plentiful roadkill carrion on the roadside.







We travelled "interstate" to Cockburn SA and went border hopping.
We had Spiders and Waffles at Bells Milkbar
(To be continued...)