Dames in the Desert (Other locations...)

Member Name: harmonyk

Product:	Other locations...
Date:	25/08/01 (129 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Part of Australian history, Royal Flying Doctors Base, Strange Yorkshire woman!

Disadvantages: Very hot in summer, Not very lively, A great distance from anywhere else

Those that know me will be aware I went 'Walkabout' in Australia in the summer. A memorable part of this adventure this year had to include my visit to the Outback.

I had only heard of Broken Hill through the tv programme 'The Flying Doctors' and the hilarious Ozzie film 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert' - I was interested to see what this mining town hundreds of miles from my base in Adelaide would really be like.

My companion, Irene and I decided to take the train from Adelaide. Now this was no ordinary train. Our outward journey would be on the Ghan and return would be on the Indian Pacific trains. These are rated as two of the great train journeys of the world. One (The Ghan) travels from Sydney on the east coast to Alice Springs in the centre of Australia. The Indian Pacific spans the across the continent from Sydney to Perth. Each journey calls at Adelaide and Broken Hill (as well as many other stops). Suffice to say it was a very comfortable way to travel, even if it did take over 7 hours!

It was dusk when we pulled into Broken Hill. We collected out luggage and looked for our hotel owner who had promised to collect us and transport us to his humble abode in the suburbs. The Old Friary, as the name suggests was previously inhabited by Monks, then Nuns. The modernised building was all on one level (the Ozzies do love their bungalows), the front of the property was the owners accomodation and the back was a couple of blocks of simply furnished rooms. No ensuite here, we shared bathroom and toilet facilities with everyone else - a little unexpected but we got used to the idea and there were few other guests anyway (it was winter). Across the courtyard there was a large day room/kitchen where our self service breakfast of cereals and toast could be obtained. The cost of this luxurious (!) accomodation (including breakfast) was A$20 per person per night which converts to around £8! Try finding that i
n the UK.

There are of course, different levels of accomodation in Broken Hill but this was sufficient for our 3 nights in town.

On the first evening we walked through the dark streets to get to the town centre to find a place to eat. Once we acknowledged we were completely lost we jumped on a small coach that had stopped to pick up some people outside of another hotel and that took us to a place called the Musicians Club. This was the night-life of the town. We were signed in as temporary members and went into a large cafe area where we ate a not very nice meal amongst a few hundred locals. This was where I discovered Pokies - no its not the Oz version of Pokemon - its fruit machines - the Australians are Pokie mad! It is a national obsession. They are everywhere, row upon row of flashing lights and reels of fruitful promise. We didn't stay. We caught the courtesy bus back to our hotel and had an early night.

Next day we walked in the light of day back into town. Long, dusty, very wide roads took us to the silent centre - it was Sunday Morning and only mad dogs and equally mad English women bothered to venture out at this time. We discovered a tour shop that, according to the signs were open but the door was locked. A sign on the door said to telephone if we required a tour - so we did - and Johno (driver) and Sandra (guide)agreed to pick us up at 1pm and show us around.

Whilst we waited for them, we went to Marios Palace Hotel - easily found on the main road through town. This Hotel is featured in the aforementioned Priscilla Queen of the Desert. It is a traditional old Australian building with ornate balcony. Inside there is an amazing collection of murals - painted by an Aboriginal who would turn up from time to time in need of cash - paint another wall, get paid and clear off. It is really amazing - well worth a look and have a cappuccino while you're there - it was the best I had in Oz.

Joh
no picked us up and took us on a tour of the area. he was an agreeable man in his 50's who had, if we are to believe everything he said, been a chapion swimmer and motorcyclist, got 3 degrees (not the singing kind) and was a good friend of Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman! We felt it best to keep an open mind - you never know!

First stop was the airport where we were treated to a short video telling us about the Royal Flying Doctor Service that is based there. A few souvenirs later and we were on our way back to the town where we went to an art gallery (one of many in the area). Broken Hill is most famous for being a silver mining town. Now almost depleted of its lode it is depending on tourism to keep alive. Whilst in the gallery I was able to purchase a lovely large link bracelet, made from local silver, at a cost of A$50 (about £20).

As dusk approached Johno took us away from the town to an area known as ‘The Living Desert’. This was a hill (overlooking the town) that had been decorated some years ago with rock sculptures. There were quite a few people jostling for good photographic positions. One stone in particular had a hole through it and as the sun sank everyone wanted to be the one to catch the picture of sun through hole – guess who got it? It's a pity we can't include a picture in our ops - it really is stunning - come on Dooyoo - how about it?

Whilst driving through the outback we saw our first wild kangaroo – not something I will forget too quickly.

Next day Johno picked us up in his minibus and took us to Silverton – this is a ghost town a few miles from Broken Hill, now inhabited by artists and a few eccentrics.

We visited the town Gaol and museum and bought opals from a Yorkshire woman who ran a most peculiar shop. Outside and in were collections of bizarre objects, from rusty, life sized cows and horses (we think!) to rows of green bottles. Insid
e her establishment were more oddities – I’m not quite sure what was for sale and what was her collection. She told us her husband was an opal miner and her huge selection of this Australian national gemstone was all that he had found. It was so weird to see such a valuable hoard of opals in the middle of the outback, being sold by this obviously lonely Yorkshire lass! She added to the excitement by telling us that she had a special 10% off sale on – just this week! Lucky we went when we did!

We took a look around the artist’s galleries, bought a few gifts for the folks back home and had our photo taken with John Dynon (local artist) outside his Leaning Dunny of Silverton!

Then we simply had to stop for a cold beer at the local Silverton Hotel – as featured in the Mad Max films and the British series Minder – to name but two.

On the way back to town we saw some groups of Emus foraging in the scrub and passed the local camel farm (as you do!)

All in all Broken Hill was an unforgettable experience. I doubt that I’d go again – there are too many other places to visit in Oz – but I have great memories of my journey and stay in the Australian Outback.

Reasons not to go……

In their summer temperatures can get into the 40’s - Make sure you take the sunblock!

It is not yet a holiday resort – don’t expect Alice Springs.

It is over 7 hours train journey from Adelaide – a long way to go to see a silver mining town.

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