Broken Hill: Art, History and Outback Connections

In Broken Hill, a range of cultural and landscape themes come together: an original railway station dating from 1905, union history, art, an interactive exhibition about the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and sculptures on Sundown Hill. If you’re looking for a hotel in Broken Hill, these different highlights can help you plan your stay around your interests. The themes range from historic buildings and art to extensive walking trails and connections with nature.

Advice on tours and experiences

The Broken Hill Visitor Information Centre offers travellers advice on local tours, attractions and experiences. If you’re still weighing up whether you’re more interested in history, art or nature, you can take these interests into account when planning your trip and ask there about local offerings. This can help you first clarify which themes appeal to you most in Broken Hill.

Railway history and union heritage

The Sulphide Street Railway and Historical Museum is housed in Broken Hill’s original railway station, dating from 1905. Its setting in the station gives the museum a clear connection to railway history. For understanding Broken Hill’s historic sites, it offers a different perspective from the buildings and exhibitions concerned with the labour history of the unions.

Broken Hill Trades Hall was also completed in 1905 and was the first building in Australia to be owned by unions. It is a notable example of Victorian architecture. Trades Hall also displays union banners and picket cards from the 1909 lockout. This brings together architectural history and tangible evidence of the union movement in one place. The two sites offer different ways into the year 1905: the museum through the original railway station, and Trades Hall through a building owned by unions. The objects from 1909 add a later chapter of labour history to this perspective.

Art in the gallery and on Sundown Hill

The Pro Hart Gallery in Broken Hill displays paintings, sculptures and personal memorabilia. Pro Hart is presented there as a former miner and internationally renowned artist. He depicted outback life with bold colours and originality. The gallery offers several points of interest: you can explore the artworks as well as the personal memorabilia and the career path connected to his former work in mining.

The Living Desert and Sculptures offers a different artistic focus: twelve internationally crafted sandstone sculptures stand on Sundown Hill. Their number, material and international craftsmanship are specific features of this collection. The Living Desert and Sculptures also has extensive walking trails. So, alongside the sculptures, walking the trails is a distinct part of the experience; the information provided does not specify a particular walking time or level of difficulty.

Exhibitions and connections with nature

The Royal Flying Doctor Outback Heritage Experience - Broken Hill is located at the RFDS base next to Broken Hill Airport. Its interactive exhibition presents stories about the service’s past and present care work. Its focus differs from art and union history: the exhibition centres on the development and current work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

A 180-hectare flora and fauna reserve is located near The Living Desert and Sculptures. It offers a separate connection with nature alongside the attraction’s sculptures and extensive walking trails. When planning, you can distinguish between the different themes: art and walking the trails at The Living Desert and Sculptures, and the nearby flora and fauna reserve. Together with the historic sites, Pro Hart Gallery and the RFDS exhibition, these offer a range of clearly distinct interests to help you plan a stay in Broken Hill.

Discover more destinations: West Wyalong, Colyton, Bargo, Malua Bay, Gundagai, Lake Munmorah, Ebenezer, Midginbil

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