Head off towards Broken Hill. The distance is 450klm. We intended to overnight at Wilcania, but made go time. The weather was sunny and the drive easy and flat. It is a small town in the Central Darling Shire with a population of 750.
The Darling River flows through the town, and during the River Boat era of transportation proved essential for movement of wool and produce downstream to the junction of the Murray, which at that time was approx a weeks journey. An improved means of transport as previously they were transported by camel. The river, like a lot of Australia’s inland waterways,is prone to droughts and floods.
The population is predominantly Aboriginal Australians. The government has been criticized for depriving the communities needs. The low life expectancy for indigenous men is 37 years of age. Water quality is unsafe and is transported in from Broken Hill 200klm away. It was also badly hit by Covid.
Wilcannia
The period Post Office & Telegraph Office erected in 1880.
The bridge built in 1895, replacing the “Punt” 
Classed as a hot desert climate with 275mm of rain pa. Time for lunch in the winter sun.
Broken Hill
This is the far west of NSW with a population of 18,000, 1100klm west of Sydney. A hot desert climate with average rainfall of 235mm (9 inches). It also is on Central Standard Time, same as Adelaide.
Two of the Syndicate of Seven who founded the company BHP.
Broken Hill is well known mining town with the discovery of silver ore in the 1880’s. It is Australia’s longest running mining town. It is one of the worlds largest silver-lead-zinc mineral. BHP is the largest company in Australia, and in the top 100 in the world.
Some of its beautiful period buildings 
The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert featured the Palace Hotel in Broken Hill
We stayed at the St Patricks Racecourse on the outskirts of the town. Lovely facilities in front of the old stands trackside.
The Tailings from the mining form a high point in the town. Here you can view the surrounding mines. It also provides a great history of the mining story. Below is the view from the top, each poppy represents mining deaths since operation began in the 1890’s. Many lung related deaths, heart failures, mining accidents etc. provide a grim tale of working life in mining. Also an old disused operation.
Silverton
Silverton is famous for its silver mining, 26 klm from Broken Hill. The rapid depletion of silver was eclipsed by the larger even richer silver-zinc ore in Broken Hill lead to the decline in Silverton.
Today is mainly a tourist town with a small permanent population. Mad Max and over 100 other movies have been filmed here. Close by are the Mundi Mundi Plains. A wonderful place to visit.
Have a meal or a drink in the Silverton Hotel. One of the many outback theme pubs with plenty of memorabilia and humorous signs etc.
The Hotel, you expect to see horses tied up
“If you are drinking to forget, please pay in advance.”
“Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark, a large group of professionals built the Titanic”
Worth a visit is the Umberumberka Reservoir, view over the Mundi Mundi Plains and the Living Desert Sculptures outside Broken Hill.
Artists from around the world began work on these sandstone sculptures in the early 1990’s. Spectacular around sunset.
