Monday 14th May - Around Broken Hill

Flying Doctors 

Flying Doctor Aircraft being serviced

The Flying Doctors service originated in Broken Hill in the 1920's.  Now the Broken Hill operation covers vast areas of NSW, SA, VIC and QLD.  Very good interpretive display which really illustrates how isolated the people are on remote stations, even today with phone rather than radio contact. 

Australia compared to other countries

Each remote station has to level and maintain a 1000m airstrip in case it is required.  The occupants are supplied with a medical chest containing everything from bandages to antibiotics and hyperdermic needles.  Many minor problems can be talked through with a doctor back at base and they will be told how to self treat.

Broken Earth Cafe/Restaurant

Our next visit was to a cafe/ restaurant built on top of the BHP slag heap!  Curiosity got the better of us and we had to take a look.  The quality and extent of silver, lead and zinc here is so great that at one time Broken Hill was the second largest town in NSW.  The miners were the first in Australia to form a trade union and demand fair pay and an 8 hour working day in the early 20th century.

Pro Hart's Painted Rolls

We visited the Pro Hart Gallery which is located in his family home.  He was a very modest man and had an artistic range way beyond the iconic outback images that are well known.  He spent 19 years down the mines and this influenced much of his work.

Palace Hotel, Broken Hill

Finished the day with a meal out to celebrate our first week on the road.  We went to Mario's Palace Hotel, a fabulous late Victorian building with 2 storey balconies and original lacework railings.  Inside the walls have been almost completely covered in landscape murals though not too sure when as there was no information.  The restaurant was last decorated in the 1950's at a guess, but the meal was very good.