What is Broken Hill known for?
Broken Hill is an outback mining city in far western New South Wales, known as the Silver City. Its rich silver, lead and zinc deposits gave rise to BHP in 1885.
A boundary rider named Charles Rasp pegged a claim on the broken-looking ridge in 1883, and the Broken Hill Proprietary Company was formed soon after. BHP later became one of the world's biggest mining companies.
In 2015 Broken Hill became the first city added to the National Heritage List. It also played a key role in Australia's labour movement, with major mining strikes in the early 1900s.
Art, film and the outback
The city is home to many art galleries, including that of the late artist Pro Hart. The Living Desert Sculptures stand on a hilltop outside town and glow at sunset.
Broken Hill uses South Australian time, half an hour behind Sydney, because of its historic rail links to Adelaide. Nearby Silverton, an almost ghost town, has appeared in films such as Mad Max 2.
Did You Know?
The Royal Flying Doctor Service operates a base and visitor centre at Broken Hill airport.