Broken Hill

Our first stop on the train was the mining town of Broken Hill. Broken Hill developed because of the lead, zinc, and silver that lies beneath it. In this region of Australia, mining was a tough and dangerous business. We stopped at the Broken Hill Trades Hall, a heritage-listed building that was home to the country’s first labor movement and enjoyed a live performance by local actors showcasing the early mining story and life in Broken Hill.

The Big Strike lasted from May 1919 until November 1920 and involved thousands of mine workers. The men and their families struggled on for 18 months, mainly on rations of potatoes, onions and jam. Under the ‘United We Stand” banner, the Union successfully championed the 35-hour working week and created the safer and fairer working conditions that Australian workers still enjoy today.

The striking Miners Memorial that stands over the town is a constant and powerful salute to the more than 800 miners who’ve lost their lives working here. The towering 175 feet structure dominates the city’s highest point on the Line of Lode waste dumps that run through the city, and its east-west axis tracks the path of the rising and setting sun.

Broken Hill was listed on the National Heritage List in 2015 and remains Australia’s longest running mining town. Today Broken Hill is still a working town, mining is still a major economic driver and in conjunction with the environment, agriculture, art, and tourism – the city is buzzing! Not to mention the stunning, outback landscapes that surround this truly Australian city.

Back on the train we enjoyed lunch as we made our way to Adelaide. Since our room is small we decided to spend our time in the lounge with our fellow travelers. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery and were amazed at the rusty red soil spotted with green plants along the way. We also saw green trees with beautiful yellow flowers and discovered that Australia’s national colors of green and yellow were inspired by the Golden Wattle which is also their national tree.