What is The Broken Hill Famous For?

Australia is known for its wide open spaces, its exquisite beaches, and the dry regions, also called the Outback. The tourism industry is ever-growing in the country. Here also lies a town named ‘Broken Hill’ in the outback of New South Wales. Recently included in the list of ‘National Heritage sites’ in 2015, Broken Hill has been witnessing more popularity and increased tourists.

The aspect that Broken Hill is famous for is – It is the longest lived mining city in the world. Quite an unusual name though, right? Before the 19th century, the region was known as ‘Willyama’. Explorer Charles Sturt visited the site in 1844; a few hills in the Barrier Range of New South Wales appeared to have breaks in them. Thus, he referred to them as ‘broken hill’ in his diary.

The Silver City

In the same region, silver ore was discovered in year 1883 by Charles Rasp. Rasp had uncovered the potential of the field, which led to opening of numerous mines. Even the original ‘broken hill’ was also mined away, yet the area was named ‘Broken Hill’. By the 1990’s, the town turned to be a prosperous mining town, and till date persists a significance in the pages of economic history. Now, it is also referred as ‘The Silver City’.

Mining – Still The Biggest Asset

The exposure of the ground, soon led to the shrinking of resources, with increase in population and vigorous mining. However, despite the depletion of precious metals, every year, mining yields two million tonnes. Thus, it still contributes dominantly to the prosperity of the town. The Broken Hill Ore Deposit is considered world’s richest lead-zinc ore body, and the company has emerged to be the world’s largest mining company.

The Potential for Solar Power

Broken Hill sustains a hot climate, and remains dry. It is a deserted region, but since it receives plenty of sunlight, there is a high potential for solar power generation. The Broken Hill Solar plant which got manufactured by year 2015, is one of the largest plants in the Southern Hemisphere.

Tourism

The magnificent Outback landscapes, the colorful architecture like the Royal Palace Hotel or Trades hall, the shimmering sunset and deep blue skies, have made it a popular tourist destinations. Numerous artists and photographers have been attracted to the region.

Know More:

• Location of Broken Hill
• Time Zones Australia