Broken Hill Again



The chance to come to Broken Hill in the winter was not to to passed up. So with Ian already ensconced for a work conference during the week I hitched a ride on a plane to join him for the weekend plus - I love having a four day weekend.
Departure on Saturday morning - a spectacular winter's morning to fly across the state.



The view from above did not disappoint and arrival at the airport brought me out to a bright and warm morning and Ian - excellent on both accounts.
Collected a vehicle and headed to the mullock heap - a must to see the expanse of the town but also to take our position on the big red chair.





From here we decided to revisit Pro Hart's gallery. His wife was there and like the country girl she is she was up for a chat. Very excited about her great grandson in Adelaide who is about to turn one and she is off to visit. Life continues and art is part of the family although Pro (short for professor - one of those nicknames given when young and it stuck) was a conundrum. He was a family man, an artist, a miner, a shooter, an explosives wild man, a motor bike collector and a Bentley and Mercedes collector. His work is still vibrant and well worth a visit. The sculpture park across the road is part of the collection.



A drive out to Silverton and beyond after lunch provided fun.



Alien ships? Outside Silverton at Umberumberka Reservoir.


Ian beside the dam wall at Umberumberka reservoir.
Afternoon tea with Susan on her verandah was next. Catching up on her holiday and work adventures in the afternoon sun was perfect. We have been invited to join her at the Palace Hotel with some work friends for dinner. An entertaining evening meeting almost local people - you only get to be an A grader it you were born on Broken Hill.



Some of the wall art at the Palace - a venue included in Priscilla Queen of the Desert.





Feathers and Lakes


After a slow start and a leisurely breakfast at The Alfresco cafe we collect rations for a picnic to drive to Menindee Lakes. Here we shall see much water and birds.



Water and birds abound - although pictorial evidence of all things feathered can be tricky.



A picnic lunch - thank you Susan for the Yogi Bear Picnic Basket - by the Main Weir.





Can you spot the ever graceful water bird playing hop, skip and jump across the blocks at the bottom of the wall?
Back home we rested up before heading to watch the sunset and have a delicious meal at the Broken Earth Restaurant on top of the Mullock Heap.



Broken Earth Restaurant from road / town level.




Spectacular sunset! On to dinner - yum - duck salad entree and kangaroo with fresh greens for main course - all delicious.


Art, age and stories

An early pick up - 8.30 - by our tour guide for the day. Irving, not an A grader but been here for 18 years and he taking just Ian and me on our exploration of Aboriginal rock art and a little bit of other history today.
Our first stop, with morning tea - a cuppa and a piece of cake from the back of the vehicle - and very welcome it was too - was an tin mining ghost town - Euriowie - about 80kms north of Broken Hill. It lasted on 15 years but there is plenty of evidence of people having been there. It would have been a very challenging place to call both home and the workplace!





We thought the remnant of this building would be good at home as the bread oven is just what Ian wants.



Ian in amongst one of his favourite trees - a Mallee gum known as Gilies Malloy eucalypt.
We then headed off for a walk into Byjerkerno Gorge. Many a goat on the hill and a few birds seeking water - always elusive when I have a camera!!







Back to the vehicle and on to the site of many Aboriginal rock art works. These are on the Sturt's Meadows Station - privately owned but giving permission for this company to access the art works.
Panaramitee rock art left me feeling very privileged to have stood and touched such things that were done many thousands years ago - unable to date it exactly - by people on the river bank having the time to indulge in so much art and story telling. Here is just a sample of the work.







There are 18000 works that have been recorded by a group from Monash University - it seems much of the understanding of the works may have been lost - but still there are clear images of people, emu feet, spirals, and so much more..... Wow!!!!
Lunch at the homestead shearers' kitchen - well earned me thinks. The walking in the sun was warmer and more demanding that I thought. A few shots around the shearing sheds.





An evening meal shared with Susan at her place is a very fitting end to the day.