Day 15

This morning we had to get the car serviced, so we set out on foot to check out many of the galleries and museums around town. Broken Hill is not only known for its minerals but also the artists that call Broken Hill home. Of course, one of the most famous being Pro Hart.




Four Rolls Royce cars adorn the entrance to his gallery, one of which he used as a canvas. And yes, Peter said it is a V8!!!!!



Another gallery we visited was the Silver City Art Centre which is the home to the worlds largest painting on canvas - 100 metres long and over 12 meters high, and painted with 9 tonne of paint. It features natural and man made landmarks within 300 kms of Broken Hill. Unfortunately we weren't able to take any photos in the gallery.

While strolling around town we came across many of the historic buildings.







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Many of the miners cottages here have been built using tin, not only the roof but also the outside walls. Even some of the old houses that have been renovated have kept this style. Not sure if these photos show the detail of the tin.








Overlooking the town is a mountain of rock and stone which is waste from the mining of the silver, lead and zinc. On the top is a restaurant and a miners memorial, a tribute to the hundreds of men who have died in the mines over the past 125 years.



This view is from the restaurant overlooking town.




Peter was in his element at the railway museum. I think most know that Peter did his apprenticeship at the railway workshops in Ipswich, so he always loves to spend time in these museums. There is also a hospital museum, transport museum and a large mineral collection all within the one museum.










This is an "Iron Lung" used in the treatment of polio, found in the hospital museum.



Have I shrunk? (don't think so)!!!!!





In the centre of town is an original mine shaft lift which lowered workers hundreds of meters underground and was then used to bring ore to the surface.




The weather here today has been cool - even had a cardigan on - can you believe that in Broken Hill in February. Normally the temperature at this time of the year would be in the top 30's or even into the 40's. It was 14* at 7 o'clock this morning and reached about 24*. Still quite windy today.

Tomorrow is another day on the road, so Peterborough here we come.

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Location:Broken Hill