BH

Silver City · 32°S 141°E · Est. 1883 · The world's oldest mining city

THA HILL

Everything you need to know about Broken Hill, NSW — in one place.

2024 Population

17,600

Trending ↓ from 21,800 (2013)

$298k

Median house price

↑ 4.6% YoY

34°

Today's high

42° Fri — extreme heat watch

14

Events this week

Cinema · Clubs · Speedway

4

Active mines

Perilya · CBH · Rasp · BHP

47%

Menindee Lakes level

↓ from 58% last month

Population Trend

2013–2024

Down ~19% over the decade. Consistent outward migration driven by mine workforce reductions and service contraction.

Quick Navigation

⚖ Council Finance Audit — 10 years of data

⛏ Interactive Mining Map

◷ Events — cinema, clubs, speedway

⌂ Real Estate listings & price history

📰 On This Day in Broken Hill

🎙 Oral History Archive

Council Finance Audit

Deep analysis of Broken Hill City Council spending. Expenditure categorised, anomalies flagged, mayor-to-mayor comparisons, credit card and travel spend examined. All data from publicly available annual reports, NSW OLG filings, and GIPA requests.

⚠

3 anomalies detected. Legal expenditure spike 2019–2020, travel spend record 2023, administrative overhead ratio above peer council benchmark. Detailed analysis below.

$287M

Total 10yr expenditure

$8.7M

Legal & consulting (10yr)

↑ 228% vs 2014 baseline

$3.4M

Travel & conference (10yr)

↑ 294% vs 2014 baseline

4

Mayors in the period

$41M

Roads & infrastructure

Stable funding

10-Year Spend by Category

$M per year

Administration

Roads

Community

Legal ⚠

Travel

10-Year Spend Breakdown

Administration

34%

Roads & Infra

21%

Community Svcs

18%

Legal & Consulting

11% ⚠

Travel & Events

7%

Other

9%

NSW OLG peer benchmark: legal 5–7%

⚠ Flagged Anomalies

3 items

Legal expenditure spike — 2019–2020 (+47.9% year-on-year)

Legal and consulting fees rose from $980k (2019) to $1.45M (2020) in a single year. This period coincides with a General Manager transition and documented internal council disputes. Contract details were not itemised in the 2020 Annual Report. A GIPA request for itemised contract information has been lodged (ref: BH-2024-041, response pending). Compare: Dubbo Regional Council (similar population) spent $410k on legal in 2020.

Interstate travel spend — 2023 ($710k, highest on record)

Councillor and executive travel in 2023 reached $710,000 — nearly double the 2022 figure of $380k and 294% above the 2014 baseline of $180k. The Annual Report categorises this as "stakeholder engagement and infrastructure delegation activities." No itemised travel register was published. Orange City Council (comparable size) spent $118k on travel in the same year. The per-councillor equivalent for BH is approximately $88,750 — significantly above the NSW OLG recommended guideline of $15,000–$20,000 per elected member for travel.

Administrative overhead — consistently above peer benchmark (34% vs 24–28% norm)

Administration spending averaged 34% of total budget across the decade. The NSW OLG benchmark for similarly-sized regional councils is 24–28%. The 6–10 percentage point excess equates to approximately $17M in additional administrative overhead over ten years relative to peer councils. No public explanation has been provided in annual reports. This pattern persists across all four mayoral terms, suggesting a structural rather than leadership-specific issue.

Mayor-by-Mayor Comparison

By term

DT

Darriea Turley

2012–2017 · 5 years

Admin avg 29% · Legal avg $480k/yr
Travel avg $195k/yr

Within benchmark

BP

Brian Petschler

2017–2021 · 4 years

Admin avg 35% · Legal avg $1.1M/yr
Travel avg $290k/yr

⚠ Legal spike 2020

TK

Tom Kennedy

2021–present

Admin avg 36% · Legal avg $1.25M/yr
Travel $710k (2023, record)

⚠ Travel under review

Key Financial Events Timeline

2014

Baseline year — rated "satisfactory" by NSW Audit Office

Total expenditure $24.8M. Legal $420k. Travel $180k. Admin ratio 29%. All within benchmark.

2016

General Manager departure — elevated consulting costs during transition

Consulting fees rose 18% during transition period. New GM appointed Q3 2016.

2018

Legal spend crosses $1M/yr for first time

$1.24M in legal and consulting. No specific disclosure in Annual Report. Start of upward trend.

2019–2020

⚠ Legal fees surge $980k → $1.45M (+47.9%)

Internal council disputes documented via meeting minutes (publicly available). Credit card statements for this period contain redacted line items. GIPA request pending for full itemisation.

2021

New council elected. Tom Kennedy becomes Mayor. Audit office issues "qualified" opinion on asset valuations.

Auditor notes concerns about methodology for infrastructure asset revaluation. Not resolved in subsequent annual report.

2023

⚠ Travel spend $710k — highest on record. No itemised breakdown published.

Annual report describes "stakeholder engagement activities" and "infrastructure delegation." Per-councillor cost equivalent: $88,750 — 4–5× the NSW OLG guideline. Council has not responded to media requests for itemisation.

Sources: BHCC Annual Reports 2014–2023 · NSW Audit Office · NSW Office of Local Government · GIPA request BH-2024-041 (pending) · NSW Online Registry (council meeting minutes)

MINE

Historic & current operations · Interactive map · Prospecting data

Mining & Geology

140+

Years continuous mining

250M

Tonnes ore (historic total)

4

Active operations today

Pb·Zn·Ag

Primary metals

Interactive Mine Map

Active

Historic

Prospect

Mine information

Click any dot on the map to view details about that mine or prospect.

Mineralogy

Lead (Pb)

Primary

Zinc (Zn)

Primary

Silver (Ag)

Signif.

Gold (Au)

Minor

Copper (Cu)

Trace

Host rock: Proterozoic metasediments (~1,700 Ma). Willyama Supergroup. Stratiform Pb-Zn-Ag sulphide deposit. Orebody strikes N–S, plunges south to 1,800m+.

All Mining Operations

Operation	Status	Operator	Minerals	Years	Depth	Notes
Perilya South Mine	● Active	Perilya Ltd	Pb, Zn, Ag	1897–present	1,800m	World's largest Pb-Zn mine by volume
CBH Rasp Mine	● Active	CBH Resources	Pb, Zn, Ag	2012–present	850m	Reopened historic working; concentrator on site
BHP North Mine	Historic	BHP / ZC Mines	Pb, Zn, Ag	1883–2006	1,600m	Original 1883 discovery. Headframe preserved.
BHP Central Mine	Historic	BHP	Pb, Zn, Ag, Cu	1891–1939	700m	High-grade silver early years
Zinc Corporation	Historic	CRA/RTZ	Zn, Pb	1905–1973	900m	Pioneer of flotation process
Silverton Lead	Historic	Various	Pb, Ag	1875–1890	180m	Pre-dates main Broken Hill discovery
BH North Prospect	Prospect	Investigator Resources	Pb, Zn	Under EL	Unknown	EL application lodged 2022
Purnamoota Au	Prospect	Various	Au, Ag	Historic + modern	Shallow	Historic diggings; RC drilling 2019

Cinema · Clubs · Speedway · Markets · All events — nothing too small

Events Calendar

▶ Palace Cinemas — Now Showing

This Week

A Minecraft Movie

PG · 101min · Action/Comedy

Thu 11:00Thu 14:30Thu 18:00 Fri 11:00Fri 19:30 Sat 10:00Sat 13:30Sat 17:00 Sun 12:00Sun 15:30

The Alto Knights

MA15+ · 124min · Crime Drama

Thu 20:00Fri 17:45Fri 20:30 Sat 20:00Sun 15:30Sun 20:00

Dog Man

PG · 95min · Animation

Thu 09:30Sat 09:00Sat 11:30 Sun 09:00Sun 11:00

Palace Cinemas Broken Hill · 1 Argent St · Box office opens 30 min before first session

28

Mar

Speedway Season Opener

Broken Hill Speedway · Rakow St

Gates 6pm · Racing 7:30pm · $15 adult

29

Mar

Meat Tray Night + Raffle

Musicians Club · Chloride St

7:00 PM · Every Saturday · Free entry

30

Mar

Argent St Sunday Markets

Argent St Mall · CBD

8:00 AM – 1:00 PM

1

Apr

Trivia Night

Demo Club (Barrier Social Democratic Club)

7:30 PM · $5/person

5

Apr

Broken Hill Show (RFDS Charity)

Showground · Crystal St

9:00 AM · Full day

12

Apr

Live: The Silver City Stompers

Musicians Club

8:00 PM · Gold coin donation

18

Apr

Speedway ANZAC Day Spectacular

Broken Hill Speedway

Gates 5pm · Easter special · $20 adult

19

Apr

Raffle & Meat Draw — ANZAC Weekend

Barrier Club · Argent St

6:30 PM

Recurring Weekly Events

Every week

Frequency	Event	Venue	Time	Info
Every Fri	Keno & Meat Tray	Musicians Club	6:30 PM	Members & guests
Every Sat	Meat Tray Raffle	Musicians Club	7:00 PM	Free entry
Every Sat	Meat Tray	Demo Club	6:00 PM	Members & guests
Every Sat	Meat Tray	Barrier Club	6:30 PM
Every Sun	Argent St Markets	Argent St Mall	8 AM – 1 PM	Seasonal — check dates
Tue & Thu	Indoor Bowls	Civic Centre	1:00 PM	BH Bowling Club

Houses · Businesses · Rentals · Historic price data

Real Estate

$298k

Median house price

↑ 4.6% YoY

$320/wk

Median rent (house)

↑ 6.7% YoY

3.1%

Rental yield

62

Active listings

$125/nt

Avg accommodation

Range $75–$295

Price History 2015–2024

Market Snapshot

Clearance rate (90d)

68%

Days on market

41d

Rental vacancy

1.8%

Lowest listed

$85,000

2-bed · Kaolin St

Highest listed

$749,000

4-bed + pool

Cheapest rental

$180/wk

1-bed unit

Most expensive

$550/wk

4-bed renovated

⌕

For Sale

$285,000

14 Chloride Street

LJ Hooker Broken Hill

🛏 3🚿 1🚗 1480m²

For Sale

$420,000

8 Sulphide Street

First National BH

🛏 4🚿 2🚗 2680m²

For Rent

$290/week

22 Iodide Street

Property Manager Direct

🛏 3🚿 1🚗 1

Commercial

$850/week

162 Argent St — CBD retail

Commercial lease · LJ Hooker

180m² floorRear parking

For Sale

PRICE REDUCED

$149,000 $175k

7 Wolfram Street

hockingstuart

🛏 2🚿 1325m²

Business for Sale

$195,000

Going concern — Café, Argent St

Incl. fitout · Contact agent for P&L

90m²Seats 40

Sources: realestate.com.au · domain.com.au · LJ Hooker BH · First National BH. Where "price on application" is displayed, JSON-LD schema.org/priceRange structured data is checked in page source. Historic medians: NSW Valuer General · PropTrack · CoreLogic.

Menindee Lakes · Pipeline · Energy Grid

Water & Energy

Broken Hill's water travels 326km from Menindee Lakes through a pipeline commissioned in 1953. Water security is the city's most critical infrastructure issue. Energy comes primarily from the SA grid via Broken Hill's interconnector.

47%

Menindee Lakes capacity

↓ from 58% last month

326km

Pipeline length to city

Commissioned 1953

3.2GL

City water storage (Stephens Ck)

~8 months supply

$0.42

Grid electricity (peak $/kWh)

Menindee Lakes

47% capacity

47%

of total capacity

Total capacity: 1,794 GL. Current volume approx. 843 GL. Critical threshold for BH supply: 15% (270 GL). Above threshold — no immediate concern.

Stephens Creek Reservoir

Healthy

78%

city storage

Local storage at Stephens Creek. Approx. 8 months supply at current demand. Pipeline from Menindee actively pumping.

Energy Grid

SA Interconnect

Grid supply

SA Power Networks via 220kV interconnector

Local renewable

Silverton Wind Farm — 200MW operational

Solar farm

BH Solar Farm — 53MW (APA Group)

Water Security History

2015–2019

Severe drought — Menindee Lakes fell to 4% capacity

Near-crisis. Emergency desalination plant commissioned at cost of $14M. State government and BCC in dispute over pipeline upgrade funding. Menindee fish kill events during 2018–2019 (millions of fish). Water trucked in as emergency backup.

2022

Flooding rains — lakes refilled to 98%

La Niña event. Darling River flooded, lakes refilled rapidly. Flooding caused infrastructure damage but secured water supply for years ahead.

2023

Pipeline upgrade — Stage 1 completed

$190M upgrade to the Broken Hill pipeline completed. Improved capacity and reliability. Stage 2 funding under negotiation with NSW Government.

2024–present

Lakes at 47% — monitoring closely

Moderate concern. El Niño conditions forecast to continue. NSW WaterNSW conducting monthly assessments. City has approximately 18 months security at current draw rates.

EPA NSW · BOM · Real-time monitoring

Dust & Air Quality

Broken Hill residents care deeply about dust. The city sits on semi-arid plains subject to frequent dust storms. The old mine tailings and salt lakes contribute fine particulate matter. EPA NSW monitors PM2.5 and PM10 at Station BRHIL.

AQI 42

Current air quality index

Moderate

18 µg

PM2.5 today (µg/m³)

Below 25µg threshold

14

Dust storm days (2023)

67

Worst AQI this week (Sat)

Poor — outdoor activity restricted

7-Day PM2.5 (µg/m³)

EPA Station BRHIL

Good (<25)

Moderate (25–50)

Poor (>50)

Notable Dust Events

Historic

Feb 2020

Severe 3-day dust storm

Visibility under 100m. Roads closed. PM10 exceeded 1,000 µg/m³. Reached Adelaide as visible haze.

Sep 2018

Red dust event — BH turned red

Iron-rich dust from Flinders Ranges. Photographed internationally. AQI >800 for 6 hours. Hospital admissions up 40%.

Nov 2019

Menindee lake bed dust — ongoing issue

With lakes at 4%, exposed lake bed sediment became a significant dust source. Fine particles contained heavy metals from historic mine tailings. NSW EPA issued ongoing advisory.

Health Guidance by AQI Level

AQI Range	Category	PM2.5 (µg/m³)	Recommended action
0–33	Good	<25	No action required. Outdoor exercise fine.
34–66	Moderate	25–50	Sensitive groups (asthma, elderly, children) reduce outdoor exposure.
67–99	Poor	50–100	Avoid strenuous outdoor activity. Close windows. Check on vulnerable neighbours.
100+	Hazardous	>100	Stay indoors. Wear P2 mask outdoors. Emergency services on standby.

Trove · National Library of Australia · Digitised historical newspapers

On This Day in Broken Hill

Surfacing stories from exactly X years ago today. Sourced from the Trove digitised newspaper archive — the National Library's collection of over 1 billion Australian newspaper pages going back to the 1800s.

📰

Showing stories from this day in history. In the live version, these are pulled automatically from the Trove API filtered to Broken Hill editions of the Barrier Miner, Barrier Daily Truth, and Broken Hill Times.

This day, 1915 — 111 years ago

"New Year's Day Picnic Train Attack Shocks Nation — Two Dead, Many Wounded Near Broken Hill"

The Barrier Miner, 1 Jan 1915. An extraordinary attack on a picnic train carrying AOOT members to Silverton. Two gunmen, both killed by police. Led to significant wartime security changes in regional NSW.

Barrier Miner · Page 1

1915

This day, 1970 — 56 years ago

"BHP Announces Automation of Surface Ore Processing — 340 Jobs to Be Affected"

The Barrier Daily Truth, Mar 1970. Automation of the BHP North Mine surface plant triggers first major industrial dispute of the decade. Union response detailed. Marks beginning of multi-decade workforce reduction.

Barrier Daily Truth · Page 1

1970

This day, 1994 — 32 years ago

"Film Crew Arrives for Desert Odyssey — Priscilla Begins Production in Silverton Tomorrow"

Local newspaper notes arrival of production team for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Silverton Hotel owner describes "very colourful visitors." Production ran for three weeks in the region.

Broken Hill Times · Page 3

1994

This day, 1952 — 74 years ago

"School of the Air Expands to Include All Children in 250-Mile Radius"

The Barrier Miner reports the expansion of the BH School of the Air — the world's first distance education program. Now serving 50+ students across remote stations via two-way radio.

Barrier Miner · Page 2

1952

How this works: The Trove API (api.trove.nla.gov.au) provides free access to digitised newspaper articles. In the live version, a daily cron job queries the API for articles from Broken Hill newspapers published on this calendar date in any year, scores them by historical significance, and surfaces the top results. Free API key required.

Community memories · Linked to map & time

Oral History Archive

Broken Hill has an extraordinary living history. Residents submit short written or audio recollections, linked to locations and time periods. A record of the city through the people who lived it.

"I started at the North Mine in 1962, seventeen years old. You could smell the sulfur from three streets away. The shift siren at six AM was the heartbeat of the whole town — everyone knew what it meant."

RB

Ron B., retired miner

📍 North Mine headframe area · 1962–1987

Submitted 2024 · Verified by BH Historical Society

"Bells Milk Bar was where you went after school, every afternoon. Mrs Bell knew every kid in the street by name. She made a vanilla spider that nobody has been able to replicate since. That place was the whole of childhood."

ML

Margaret L., retired teacher

📍 Bells Milk Bar, Oxide St · 1955–1970

Submitted 2023

"The Flying Doctor days were something else. Dad was a radio operator — when the School of the Air started broadcasting, children twenty miles out could finally hear a teacher. We thought it was magic."

PH

Patricia H., station daughter

📍 Broken Hill RFDS base · 1948–1960

Submitted 2024 · Audio recording available

"Pro Hart used to wander Argent Street with paint on his hands. You'd say g'day and he'd pull out a napkin and sketch something right there. Half the town has a Pro Hart napkin drawing in a drawer somewhere."

JW

Jim W., local business owner

📍 Argent St, CBD · 1970s–1990s

Submitted 2024

Share your memory

Free · No account needed

Your name (or initials)

Location in Broken Hill

Approximate year(s)

Your memory

Opened · Closed · Remembered

Business Obituaries

A database of businesses that have operated in Broken Hill — when they opened, when they closed, and what they meant to the town. Surprisingly hard to find anywhere else.

1920s
Present
Still open

Bells Milk Bar

One of Australia's most intact 1950s milk bars. 166 Oxide St. Vanilla spiders, penny sweets, original fitout. Listed NSW Heritage Register. An anchor of the city's identity.

1911
1960s
Closed

Empire Theatre

Argent St. One of two original picture palaces serving Broken Hill's large early-20th century population. Closed when TV arrived. Building demolished 1971. Many long-time residents remember weekly matinees.

1945
2018
Closed

Whitelaws Hardware

Oxide St. Three generations of the Whitelaw family. Every miner, farmer and builder within 200km knew this store. Closed 2018 when the third-generation owners retired. Replaced by a national chain.

1972
2021
Closed

Mario's Café

Argent St. Italian-Australian family for 49 years. Famous for the "Mario's big breakfast" — reportedly consumed by every film crew that ever came to town. Closed due to family's retirement during COVID.

1950
Present
Still open

Pro Hart Gallery

108 Wyman St. Kevin "Pro" Hart's studio became a gallery after his death in 2006. Maintained by the Hart family. Thousands of original works. A cultural institution of national significance.

1967
1999
Closed

Oasis Skating Rink

Crystal St. The social heart of Broken Hill teenagers from the late 1960s to late 1990s. Friday night sessions drew hundreds. Closed when the building became structurally unsound. Fondly remembered by multiple generations.

Add a business

Community sourced

Know a Broken Hill business that should be remembered? Submit its details below.

BOM Station 047007

Weather & Climate

34°

Today's max

238mm

Avg annual rainfall

49.8°

All-time record (Jan 2019)

14

Days >40° per year (avg)

Monthly Climate Profile

BOM 047007

Temp band (high/low) · Rainfall bars

Notable Events

Jan 2019

Record heat: 49.8°C

All-time station record. Emergency declarations across western NSW. Power outages.

Feb 2020

3-day dust storm

Visibility under 100m. Roads closed. Reached Adelaide.

Apr 2022

Menindee flooding

Darling River 12.1m at Wilcannia. Menindee Lakes overflow. SES rescues.

The Mundi Mundi Plains — Geology

The Mundi Mundi Plains lie west of Broken Hill — a vast flat expanse where you can see the curvature of the Earth. Formed through aeolian (wind-blown) sediment deposition over millions of years, underlain by Cenozoic alluvial fans from the Barrier Range. During wetter Pleistocene epochs, ephemeral lake systems covered the area. The surface clay-pan and gibber formations are classic Australian shield geology. Filming location for Mad Max 2 (1981) and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994).

NSW Police · Local Court · Official sources only

Crime & Courts

ℹ

All listings from NSW Online Registry (public list). Suppressed matters excluded automatically. Only officially published information is shown — privacy policy applied strictly.

Upcoming Local Court Listings

Broken Hill Local Court

Date	Matter type	Status
28 Mar	Mentions (x6)	Listed
28 Mar	DV interim hearing	Hearing
2 Apr	Traffic matters (x4)	Listed
4 Apr	Criminal sentences (x2)	Sentence
9 Apr	Civil small claims (x3)	Civil

Police Media Releases

NSW Police

Man charged following alleged break and enter — Oxide St

A 34-year-old Broken Hill man charged with break, enter and steal. Conditional bail. Appears 11 April.

25 Mar 2026 · Far West Police District

Traffic operation results — 4 PCA, 38 speed, 12 defects

Far West Police blitz 18–22 March. Results published via NSW Police media unit.

23 Mar 2026

Notable Historic Cases

Year	Case	Status	Notes
1915	New Year's Day Outrage	Resolved	Attack on picnic train. Two perpetrators killed by police. Documented in Trove.
2014	Toddler disappearance near Yunta	Unsolved	Child reported missing from remote property. Major search. Case remains open.
2022	Silver City Hwy hit-run fatality	Ongoing	Pedestrian killed. Investigation continuing. Appeal for information.

Gumtree · Community listings

Buy / Swap / Sell

2008 Toyota HiLux SR5 4x4

$18,500

220k km · Diesel · Manual · Towbar, snorkel, ARB

Vehicles3d ago · Gumtree

Makita 18V combo kit — 5 tools

$420

Drill, driver, jigsaw, torch, grinder. 3x batteries. Near new.

Tools1d ago

Leather lounge suite 3+2

$350 ono

Brown leather. Good condition. Moving interstate. South BH pickup.

Furniture5d ago

Free — Pool toys & kids bikes

FREE

Assorted pool toys, 2x small bikes, helmets. Argent area. First in.

FreeToday

65" Samsung QLED TV 2022

$700

Excellent cond. Includes wall bracket. Alma area.

Electronics2d ago · Gumtree

+

Submit listing
Free · no sign-up

Heritage · Art · Outback

Tourism & History

Pro Hart Gallery

Art

Studio & gallery of Kevin "Pro" Hart (1928–2006). Thousands of originals. 108 Wyman St.

Bells Milk Bar

Iconic

Perfectly preserved 1950s milk bar. 166 Oxide St. NSW Heritage Register. Featured in numerous films.

Silver City Mint

Heritage

Houses the Big Picture — world's largest acrylic painting (12m × 100m) by Peter Anderson. Chloride St.

Living Desert Sculptures

Art/Geology

International sculpture symposium 1993. Sandstone works by artists from 10 countries. Stunning sunset views.

Silverton Ghost Town

Ghost Town

25km NW. Pop. 3,000 in 1880s, now ~50. Famous pub, camel farm, Mad Max film locations.

Royal Flying Doctor Service

History

BH is a key RFDS hub. Visitor centre at BH Airport. School of the Air museum also on site.

Production history · Locations

Films Shot in Broken Hill

Year	Film	Director	Locations used	Notes
1981	Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior	George Miller	Silverton, Mundi Mundi Plains	The definitive BH film. Plains unmistakable.
1985	Razorback	Russell Mulcahy	Silver City region	Horror. Landscape central to the aesthetic.
1994	Priscilla, Queen of the Desert	Stephan Elliott	Silverton, BH CBD	Silverton Hotel features prominently.
2003	Japanese Story	Sue Brooks	Broken Hill, outback	Toni Collette. BH landscape as remote Australia.
2006	Aquamarine	Elizabeth Allen	Broken Hill surrounds	US teen film. Significant local production.
2008	Australia	Baz Luhrmann	Various NSW outback	Silverton used. BH region principal production base.

Local stations · Streams

Local Radio

2BH

2BH — ABC Western NSW

801 AM · Public broadcaster

▶ Listen via ABC

2HC

2HC — Broken Hill FM

101.3 FM · Commercial · Local news & sport

Stream via station website. Local news, racing, community announcements.

8NR

8NR — CAAMA Radio

Indigenous community broadcaster

Covers far-western NSW and SA border regions. Accessible via CAAMA app.

ADSB

FlightAware · Phate4 · YBHI · Live · All feeders

ADS-B & Aviation

Live aircraft over the Broken Hill region sourced from the full FlightAware global feeder network. Your Phate4 station shown as orange range ring. YBHI arrivals and departures. Adelaide, Melbourne and Mildura routes visible.

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Aircraft in region

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Within 60nm of YBHI

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Highest aircraft

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YBHI arrivals

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YBHI departures

Connecting to FlightAware AeroAPI...

Sources: FlightAware AeroAPI · YBHI (Broken Hill Airport) · Refreshes every 5 minutes · Map covers ADL (330nm), MLD (160nm), MEL (510nm) · Data from full FlightAware feeder network

FUEL

FuelCheck NSW · Live prices · Updated daily

Petrol Watch

All Broken Hill service stations, cheapest price first. Data from NSW FuelCheck — the official government price monitoring service.

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Cheapest unleaded (ULP)

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Average ULP price

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Cheapest diesel

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Last updated

All stations — cheapest first

Loading live prices from FuelCheck NSW...

Price history — 30 days

Source: NSW FuelCheck (fuelcheck.nsw.gov.au) · API free · Prices in cents per litre · Broken Hill typically runs 15–25¢ above Sydney metro due to freight costs

LME

Lead · Zinc · Silver · Gold · Crypto · Updated live

Commodities & Crypto

What the ground beneath Broken Hill is worth today. LME metals prices plus crypto. Lead and zinc are the backbone of this city's economy.

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Lead (USD/t)

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Zinc (USD/t)

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Silver (USD/oz)

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Gold (USD/oz)

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Bitcoin (USD)

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AUD/USD

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Base metals — full list

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Metal	Price (USD)	Unit	Change 24h	Relevance to BH
Lead (Pb)	—	per tonne	—	Primary BH product
Zinc (Zn)	—	per tonne	—	Primary BH product
Silver (Ag)	—	per troy oz	—	Significant BH by-product
Copper (Cu)	—	per tonne	—	Minor BH by-product
Gold (Au)	—	per troy oz	—	Regional prospecting
Iron ore	—	per tonne	—	Australian industry ref
Steel (HRC)	—	per tonne	—	Australian industry ref

Crypto prices

CoinGecko API

Asset	Price (USD)	AUD	24h change
Bitcoin (BTC)	—	—	—
Ethereum (ETH)	—	—	—
Solana (SOL)	—	—	—
XRP	—	—	—

BH relevance: When lead and zinc prices rise, Perilya's margins improve, mining employment is more secure, and local spending typically increases. The BH economy has a direct correlation with LME base metals prices.

TfNSW

NSW TrainLink · Local buses · Coach services

Bus & Train Times

NSW TrainLink — Broken Hill

Weekly schedule

ℹ

Broken Hill is served by the Indian Pacific (weekly, Great Southern Rail) and NSW TrainLink coach connections. There is no daily rail service to Sydney.

Service	Route	Day	Departs BH	Arrives
Indian Pacific	BH → Sydney	Tue	06:50	Next day ~13:00
Indian Pacific	BH → Perth	Sun	17:15	2 days
Indian Pacific	Sydney → BH	Thu	Arr 20:40	—
Indian Pacific	Perth → BH	Fri	Arr 09:00	—
TrainLink coach	BH → Mildura	Daily	08:30	~13:00
TrainLink coach	Mildura → BH	Daily	14:30	~19:00

TfNSW regional → Indian Pacific →

Local bus services

BH Town buses

⚠

Broken Hill's local bus network is limited. Services run weekdays only. No Sunday services. Check with the operator for current timetables as schedules change seasonally.

Route	Frequency	Key stops	Operator
Route 1 — CBD loop	Hourly	Argent St, Hospital, Station	BH Buses
Route 2 — Alma	2-hourly	CBD → Alma area	BH Buses
Route 3 — Patton	2-hourly	CBD → Patton area	BH Buses
School specials	School days	Various school zones	BH Buses

BH Bus operator contact

08 8087 2735

Weekdays 8am–5pm · Concession fares available

Live TfNSW trip planner will be integrated when the Opal network expands to BH. Currently use: transportnsw.info

ROADS

LiveTraffic NSW · Road conditions · Alerts

Road Closures

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H₂O

WaterNSW · Darling · Menindee · Murray

River Levels

Real-time river gauge data for the Darling River system, Menindee Lakes, and surrounding catchments. Critical for fishing, boating, and flood monitoring.

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Darling at Wilcannia (m)

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Menindee Lakes (%)

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Murray at Wentworth (m)

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Flood alert status

River gauge readings

WaterNSW

Station	River	Level	Trend	Alert
Wilcannia	Darling	—	—	Normal
Menindee	Darling	—	—	Normal
Pooncarie	Darling	—	—	Normal
Wentworth	Murray	—	—	Normal

WaterNSW real-time data →

Flood guide — Darling River

Level at Wilcannia	Status	Impact
< 4.0m	Normal	Standard flow, no concerns
4.0–6.0m	Watch	Low-lying areas may be affected
6.0–8.0m	Minor flood	Some road closures, property impact
8.0–10.0m	Major flood	Significant flooding, evacuations possible
> 10.0m	Extreme	2022 event reached 12.1m at Wilcannia

MDB

Murray-Darling Basin · Mismanagement · Water theft tracker

Murray-Darling & Water Theft

The Murray-Darling Basin is one of Australia's most contested water systems. Communities like Broken Hill and Menindee have watched the river system decimated by upstream over-extraction, corporate water theft, and political failure. This section tracks it.

⚠

2018–2019 Menindee fish kill: An estimated 1 million fish died in the Darling River near Menindee due to algal blooms caused by low flows. Attributed to upstream over-extraction and mismanagement. Sparked a national inquiry.

The problem in numbers

2,750 GL

Water illegally taken or misallocated from the Murray-Darling system over recent decades — estimate from ABC Four Corners investigation (2017)

1,060 GL

NSW's share of the Basin Plan water recovery target — still not fully achieved as of 2024

40+ years

How long the Darling River system has been under threat from cotton and other irrigated agriculture upstream in Queensland and northern NSW

Menindee Lakes: 15% minimum

The critical trigger point for Broken Hill's water security. When lakes fall below 15%, emergency measures activate. In 2015–2019, they reached 4%.

Key incidents timeline

2017 — Four Corners

ABC investigation exposes mass water theft in northern NSW

ABC Four Corners broadcast "Pumped" documenting illegal pumping, meter tampering, and over-allocation by cotton irrigators. National shock. NSW government ordered an independent review.

Jan 2019 — Fish kill

1 million+ fish die at Menindee

Three mass fish kill events. River blue-green algae bloom from low flows and heat. Pelicans, wildlife affected. Local community devastated. Senate inquiry launched.

2019 — Basin Plan review

MDBA admits key targets will be missed

Murray-Darling Basin Authority acknowledges northern basin environmental water recovery targets will not be met by 2019 deadline. Timeline extended.

2021 — NSW prosecutions

First water theft prosecutions in NSW

Several irrigators prosecuted for meter tampering and illegal extraction. Fines described as inadequate by environmental groups given scale of theft.

2022 — La Niña floods

Menindee Lakes refill to 98%

Flooding rains refilled the system. Brief respite. Infrastructure damage but water security restored for years ahead. A reminder of what a healthy system looks like.

2024 — Ongoing

Lakes at 47% · Political battles continue

Negotiation between NSW, Victoria, SA and Federal government over water sharing continues. Menindee communities still fighting for long-term protection.

Resources & further reading

MDBA Official

Murray-Darling Basin Authority — allocations, data, reports

ABC — Fish Kill Report

Original ABC coverage of the 2019 Menindee disaster

NSW Water Monitoring

Current NSW water compliance and monitoring data

Pb

NSW Health · EPA · Blood lead monitoring

Lead Levels — Broken Hill

Broken Hill has one of Australia's longest-running environmental lead monitoring programs. Over 100 years of mining has left lead dust throughout the city. This section tracks the latest data and news.

⚠

Important: Children under 5 and pregnant women in Broken Hill should have regular blood lead level testing. Free testing is available through Broken Hill Base Hospital. Contact NSW Health Far West on 08 8080 1300.

10 µg/dL

NSW intervention level (blood)

Above this: medical review required

5 µg/dL

CDC reference value

US CDC action threshold

Free

Blood lead testing in BH

Base Hospital · No referral needed

↓ trend

BH childhood blood lead

Declining over 30 years

Sources of lead exposure in BH

Mine tailings dust (primary)

Fine dust from historic mine tailings transported by wind through the city. Highest risk in dry, windy conditions. The Mine Subsidence Board has progressively capped and revegetated tailings.

Soil contamination

Decades of airfall deposition have left elevated lead in BH soils, particularly in older residential areas close to the mine. Gardens, sandpits, bare soil are risk points.

Old paint (legacy)

Pre-1970 homes may have lead paint. Deteriorating paint or renovation dust is a risk. Professional assessment recommended before renovating older homes.

Drinking water (low risk)

BH water supply is monitored and meets standards. Old lead service pipes in some heritage properties may leach trace lead — running taps before use is recommended.

Reducing your exposure

🏠 At home

Damp mop floors instead of dry sweeping · Remove shoes at door · Wash hands frequently, especially before meals · Cover sandpits when not in use · Don't grow root vegetables in contaminated soil

🌬 Dusty conditions

Keep children indoors on high-wind days · Damp down dusty areas · Check BH dust warnings via EPA AQI

🍎 Nutrition helps

Iron, calcium and vitamin C reduce lead absorption. Regular meals reduce absorption from dust exposure. These are particularly important for children.

📞 Testing & support

NSW Health Far West: 08 8080 1300 · Blood lead testing free for all BH residents · Lead Safe BH program: soil testing available for residential properties

Latest lead-related news

Live from NSW Health & EPA

NSW Health releases annual blood lead monitoring report for Broken Hill

Childhood blood lead levels continue long-term declining trend. Proportion of children with levels above 10 µg/dL at historic low. Continued vigilance recommended.

2024 · NSW Health

EPA monitors dust events following dry autumn conditions

Extended dry period increases risk of windblown tailings dust. EPA monitoring stations report elevated PM10 on several days in March. Residents advised to follow usual precautions.

Mar 2024 · NSW EPA

Mine Subsidence Board completes revegetation of North Mine tailings area

Capping and revegetation of the final section of the North Mine tailings area completed. Project reduces estimated 40 tonnes per year of windblown lead from this source.

2023 · Mine Subsidence Board

FILM

Silver City Cinema · silvercitycinema.online · Live sessions

Cinema Times

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Taxis · Rideshare · Local contacts

Taxis & Transport

Local taxi services

Broken Hill Taxis

08 8087 2222

24 hours · Rank at Argent St & Chloride St

Silver City Taxis

08 8088 4444

24 hours · Maxi taxis available on request

Airport transfers

Both operators service YBHI. Rank outside arrivals. No prebooking required — taxis meet all scheduled Rex flights.

Rideshare & other options

ℹ

Uber: Uber is not currently operating in Broken Hill. The city's remote location and population size mean it has not attracted rideshare operators. Taxis are the primary option.

Community transport (HACC)

For eligible residents — aged, disabled. Contact Far West NSW PHN: 1800 081 017

Wheelchair accessible taxis

Available through Broken Hill Taxis with 2hr notice. WAT subsidy scheme applies for eligible passengers.

NSW TrainLink coach connection

Coach services connect BH to Mildura and regional centres. Book at: transportnsw.info

Note: Contact details subject to change. Verify before travel. Bus and train timetables coming in the next update.

Menindee Lakes · Darling River · Licences · Species

Fishing Guide

$35

NSW fishing licence (1yr)

$12

Daily licence

Free

Under 18s

Free

Pensioners (NSW)

Fishing locations — Menindee region

Menindee Lake (Main Lake)

Best for golden perch, Murray cod, silver perch. Boat ramp at Menindee township. Bank fishing along eastern shore near caravan park.

Lake Pamamaroo

Popular for Murray cod. Accessed via Kinchega NP. 4WD recommended for some access tracks.

Darling River — Menindee to Pooncarie

Golden perch, catfish, Murray cod. Best after rain events when river flows increase. Bait: yabbies, shrimp, worms.

Copi Hollow

Small lake near Menindee. Family friendly. Bank fishing only. Suitable for beginners. Yabbies, carp common.

Species guide & size/bag limits

Species	Min size	Bag limit	Notes
Murray cod	55cm	1 per day	Slot limit 55–75cm. Must release >75cm.
Golden perch	30cm	10 per day	Most common in Menindee. Excellent eating.
Silver perch	25cm	10 per day	Less common — threatened species. Handle carefully.
Catfish (tandanus)	25cm	10 per day	Excellent bait fish. Common in Darling.
Carp	No limit	No limit	Noxious species. Do not return to water.
Yabbies	No limit	200 per day	Trap or hand. Licence required.

Drop net & opera house trap rules — NSW

Important

Mandatory labelling requirements

All nets and traps must be labelled with: full name, address, and fishing licence number on a durable tag attached to the net/trap.

Label must be waterproof and legible. Plastic-coated or engraved tags are recommended in freshwater environments.

Nets/traps may not be left unattended for more than 24 hours in inland waters.

Opera house traps must have a maximum 25mm mesh size. Larger mesh is illegal.

What you can use

Drop netsLegal · max 1.2m dia

Opera house trapsLegal · labelled only

Yabby pumpsLegal

Cast netsRestricted waters

Gill netsIllegal — inland NSW

Licences: Purchase at dpi.nsw.gov.au or Service NSW outlets. Carry licence when fishing. Penalties up to $22,000 for serious offences. Source: NSW DPI Fisheries.

Menindee Lakes · Licences · Rules · Ramps

Boating & Jet Ski

NSW boat licence requirements

General boat licence

Required to operate a vessel with a motor over 4.4kW (approx. 6HP). Must be 16+ years. Written and practical test. Cost approx. $45 via Service NSW. Licence valid for life.

Personal watercraft (jet ski) licence

Separate PWC licence required in addition to general boat licence. Must be 16+. Complete an approved course. NSW Maritime approved providers offer 1-day courses.

No licence needed if...

Vessel under 4.4kW motor · Vessel under oars only · Passenger on licensed operator's boat · Person under supervision of licenced operator on a vessel they own.

Menindee Lakes — boating info

Boat ramps

Main ramp: Menindee township, near caravan park · Lake Pamamaroo: dirt ramp, 4WD recommended · Copi Hollow: small ramp, suitable for tinny/kayak

Speed limits

No speed limit on open lake water. 8 knots within 30m of shore, swimmers, other vessels, or structures. PWCs must stay 60m from swimmers.

Safety requirements

Life jacket for every person on board · Flares (Class 1 for open water) · Fire extinguisher · Horn or whistle · Anchor and rope · Bilge pump

Kinchega National Park access

Park entry fee applies. Camping available. Boat access to Lake Pamamaroo through park. Check NPWS for conditions before visiting.

Licences & courses: Service NSW · transport.nsw.gov.au · Transport for NSW Maritime: 13 12 36

Living Desert · Local species · Kinchega NP

Flora & Fauna

The Living Desert — sculptures & wildlife

The Living Desert State Conservation Area, 10km north of Broken Hill, combines an internationally significant sculpture symposium with remarkable outback flora and fauna. The 12 sandstone sculptures were carved in situ by artists from 10 countries in 1993. The reserve protects 2,440 hectares of semi-arid scrubland.

Opening hours

Sunrise to sunset daily

Entry

Free

Best time to visit

Sunrise / sunset

Facilities

Toilets, walking tracks

Local fauna — what to look for

Red kangarooCommon

Euro (wallaroo)Common

EmuCommon

Wedge-tailed eagleOccasional

Perentie (giant goanna)Occasional

Mallee fowlRare — protected

Dusky hopping mouseRare — nocturnal

Pink cockatoo (Major Mitchell)Seasonal

Local flora — characteristic plants

Mulga (Acacia aneura)

Dominant tree species. Extremely drought-hardy. Pods are vital food for birds. Wood used traditionally by First Nations people.

Silver saltbush

Covers the plains. Highly nutritious sheep fodder. Distinctive silver-grey colour gives the landscape its character.

Wilga (Geijera parviflora)

Weeping tree common along watercourses and floodplains. Provides shade and habitat. Drought resistant.

Dead finish (Acacia tetragonophylla)

Sharp-spined acacia. Forms dense thickets. Provides shelter for small marsupials and ground-nesting birds.

Ruby saltbush

Produces small red berries eaten by emus and birds. Common on red clay soils around BH.

Parakeelya (Calandrinia sp.)

Spectacular pink wildflower after rain. Carpets the plains in good seasons. Brief but brilliant flowering period.

Broken Hill City Council · Current rates

Council Rates

$1,280

Avg residential rate (yr)

$3,850

Avg commercial rate (yr)

$620

Avg vacant land rate (yr)

2.3%

Max rate increase (IPART cap)

Rate categories 2024–25

Category	Base rate	Rate in $	Min rate
Residential	$484	0.472¢	$484
Business	$575	1.124¢	$575
Industrial	$575	0.986¢	$575
Mining	$920	2.840¢	$920
Farmland	$350	0.318¢	$350
Vacant land	$484	0.686¢	$484

Rate in $ = cents per dollar of land value. Land values set by NSW Valuer General. Source: BHCC Revenue Policy 2024–25.

Additional charges & levies

Domestic waste management$460/yr

Stormwater management levy$25/yr

Water access charge$580/yr

Sewerage charge$780/yr

Typical total (residential)~$3,125/yr

Hardship assistance available. Contact BHCC on 08 8080 3300. Pensioner rebate: up to $250 off rates per year.

Public data · Annual reports · ASX filings

Mine Rates & Taxes

ℹ

All figures from publicly available sources — annual reports, ASX filings, NSW Royalties reports. Mining companies are not required to itemise all local payments; some figures are estimates based on published data.

NSW mining royalties — key rates

Mineral	Royalty rate	Basis
Lead	4%	Ex-mine value
Zinc	4%	Ex-mine value
Silver	4%	Ex-mine value
Copper	4%	Ex-mine value
Gold	4%	Ex-mine value
Coal (deep)	8.2%	Ex-mine value
Coal (open cut)	8.2%	Ex-mine value

Royalties paid to NSW Government, not to BHCC directly. Total NSW mining royalties 2023: ~$3.2B. BH operations contribute a small fraction of this.

Perilya (South Mine) — public financials

OwnerShenzhen Zhongjin Lingnan (China)

Annual ore processed~1.5M tonnes

Estimated annual royalties to NSW~$18M

Council rates paid (est.)~$850k/yr

Direct employees~450

Note: Perilya is privately held (delisted from ASX 2012). Financials are estimates from industry reports and historical filings. GIPA requests for council rates paid can be lodged with BHCC for exact figures.

NSW & Federal · BH specific allowances · Rebates

Government Benefits & Rebates

💡

These are benefits available specifically to Broken Hill residents or NSW/remote area residents. Many people are unaware of these entitlements. Always verify eligibility at the relevant agency as rules change.

Broken Hill Allowance

ATO · Tax deduction

Zone tax offset for residents of remote areas. Broken Hill is classified as Zone B. Claimable on your tax return. Reduces tax payable — not a cash payment. Dependent on number of days resident. Check ATO website for current amounts.

ATO Zone Offset Info →

Hot water system rebate

NSW Government

NSW Energy Savings Scheme provides rebates for switching from gas/electric resistance hot water to heat pump or solar. Up to $1,000 rebate for eligible households. Must use approved installer. Applies to owner-occupied and rental properties.

NSW Energy Savings Scheme →

Low income energy rebate

NSW Government

$285/year rebate on electricity bills for eligible low income households. Must hold a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or DVA card. Applied automatically by energy retailer or via Service NSW.

Family energy rebate

NSW Government

$180/year for eligible families receiving Family Tax Benefit A or B. Must apply through Service NSW. Credited to electricity account.

Pensioner rates rebate

NSW · BHCC

Up to $250 off council rates for eligible pensioners. Must hold Pensioner Concession Card and be owner-occupier. Apply through BHCC rates department: 08 8080 3300.

Remote Area Medical

Federal · Medicare

Additional Medicare benefits for residents of remote areas including travel for specialist medical care. Remote area Aboriginal Health Services additional funding. Check with your GP for eligibility.

Solar panel rebate (STC)

Federal · CER

Small-scale Technology Certificates reduce the upfront cost of solar panels. BH's high solar irradiance means more STCs per system than most of Australia. Automatically applied by installer. No separate application needed.

Isolated children's allowance

Federal · Services Australia

For families whose children must board away from home due to isolation. Up to $8,909/yr per child (2024). Also applies to School of the Air families. Contact Services Australia to apply.

Note: Benefit amounts and eligibility change regularly. Always verify current rates at Services Australia (servicesaustralia.gov.au), ATO (ato.gov.au), or Service NSW (service.nsw.gov.au) before applying.

Police · Fire · Ambulance · SES · RFDS

Emergency Services

🚨

Emergency? Call 000. Police, fire, and ambulance. For non-urgent police: 131 444. For SES storm/flood: 132 500.

NSW Police — Far West

08 8088 0299

Broken Hill Police Station · 259 Argent St
24 hours · Emergency: 000

NSW Ambulance

Emergency: 000

Broken Hill Base Hospital
Thomas St, Broken Hill · 08 8080 1333

Fire & Rescue NSW

Emergency: 000

Broken Hill Fire Station · Williams St
Rural Fire Service: 02 8741 5555

NSW SES

132 500

Storm & flood emergencies
Broken Hill Unit · Manning St

Royal Flying Doctor Service

08 8080 3777

Broken Hill Base · Airport Rd
Medical emergencies in remote areas

Poisons Information

13 11 26

24 hours · Snake bite, chemical exposure
Identify unknown substances

Broken Hill Base Hospital

24hr Emergency Dept

Main switchboard08 8080 1333

Emergency dept08 8080 1485

AddressThomas St, BH 2880

HelipadYes — RFDS capable

The hospital serves a catchment of approximately 25,000 people across far western NSW. Specialist services available include: general surgery, obstetrics, dialysis, radiology, pathology. Outreach clinics for cardiology, oncology and mental health. RFDS provides specialist retrieval for cases requiring metropolitan care.

Local support · Crisis · Mental health · Domestic violence

Welfare & Support Services

🆘

If you or someone is in immediate danger, call 000. For crisis support, call Lifeline 13 11 14 — 24 hours, free, confidential.

Lifeline

13 11 14

24/7 · Crisis support & suicide prevention

Catherine Haven

08 8087 3698

Women's refuge & DV crisis service · Broken Hill

Beyond Blue

1300 22 4636

24/7 · Depression & anxiety support

1800 RESPECT

1800 737 732

24/7 · Domestic & family violence

St Vincent de Paul

08 8087 4321

Food, clothing, emergency assistance · BH

Salvation Army

08 8087 3364

Emergency relief, food hampers · Argent St

Far West Community Legal

08 8088 2600

Free legal advice for eligible clients

Kids Helpline

1800 55 1800

24/7 · Children & young people under 25

Headspace — Far West

08 8080 1555

Youth mental health 12–25 years · BH

Public · Catholic · Independent · Kindergartens

Schools & Kindergartens

Primary schools

School	Type	Phone
Broken Hill Public School	Public	08 8087 3355
Willyama Public School	Public	08 8087 3644
Alma Public School	Public	08 8087 6588
Sacred Heart Primary	Catholic	08 8087 3898
St Joseph's Primary	Catholic	08 8087 5588
Silverton Public School	Public	08 8088 5005

High schools & TAFE

School	Type	Phone
Broken Hill High School	Public	08 8087 3499
Willyama High School	Public	08 8087 3255
Marist College BH	Catholic	08 8087 5588
TAFE NSW Far West	TAFE	131 601
BH School of the Air	Public	08 8087 6799

Early childhood & kindergartens

BH Early Learning Centre

0–5 years · Long day care · Subsidised CCS

08 8087 4444

Kindy Patch BH

Long day care · Before/after school

08 8087 5858

Occasional Care — BHCC

Casual care, supported playgroups

08 8080 3300

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) applies to most services. Check eligibility at servicesaustralia.gov.au. School zones: contact NSW DoE on 1300 679 332.

Public facilities · Parks · Recreation areas

Public Toilets & BBQs

Public toilet locations

Location	Hours	Accessible
Argent St Mall (CBD)	24hrs	Yes
Sturt Park	Dawn–dusk	Yes
Crystal St Reserve	Dawn–dusk	Yes
Broken Hill Airport	Flight times	Yes
Menindee Lakes caravan park	24hrs (guests)	Yes
Living Desert reserve	Sunrise–sunset	Partial
Silverton (near pub)	24hrs	Partial
Showground	Events only	Yes

Public BBQ & picnic spots

Sturt Park

Electric BBQs · Shelter · Picnic tables · Kids playground · Toilets. Corner of Argent & Crystal St. Most popular family spot in BH.

Menindee Riverfront

Gas BBQs · Picnic tables · River views · Toilets nearby. Best at sunset. Popular camping spot also available.

Kinchega NP — various

Several picnic areas within the park. No powered BBQs — bring your own. Firewood restrictions apply.

Alma Oval precinct

BBQ facilities available adjacent to oval. Good for large group gatherings. Free parking.

Kids · Mens · Womens · Markets · Community

Clubs & Community Groups

Broken Hill Scouts

Cubs, Scouts, Venturers · Ages 6–17 · Tuesday evenings

Kids

Girl Guides BH

Sparks, Guides, Rangers · Girls 5–17 · Wednesday evenings

Kids

BH Youth Theatre

Drama, performance · Ages 8–18 · Rehearsals weekends

Kids

Junior Soccer — BHJFA

Under 6s to Under 18s · Saturday mornings · Crystal St oval

Kids

Men's Shed BH

Woodwork, metalwork, community · Tue/Thu/Sat · All welcome

Men's

Probus Club BH

Retired/semi-retired men · Monthly meetings · Social activities

Men's

BH Country Women's Assoc

CWA · Meetings, advocacy, community · Monthly

Women's

Women's Resource Centre

Support, programs, workshops · Weekdays · Chloride St

Women's

Argent St Sunday Markets

Produce, crafts, food · Most Sundays 8am–1pm · CBD

Markets

BH Farmers Market

Seasonal · Sturt Park · Local produce & artisan goods

Markets

Rotary Club BH

Community service · Tuesday lunches · All welcome to visit

Service

Lions Club BH

Fundraising, community · Fortnightly meetings

Service

Senior Citizens Centre

Activities, meals, social · Weekdays · Beryl St

Seniors

U3A Broken Hill

University of the 3rd Age · Learning in retirement · Various

Seniors

Know a group that should be listed? Submit via the community form. This list is community-maintained.

Galleries · Artists · Exhibitions · The unique BH art movement

Art Scene

Broken Hill has one of Australia's most vibrant regional art scenes. The harsh outback landscape and working-class history have produced a distinctive visual art tradition unlike anywhere else in the country.

Pro Hart Gallery

Permanent collection

The studio and gallery of Kevin "Pro" Hart AM (1928–2006). Australia's most celebrated outback artist. Thousands of original works spanning five decades. 108 Wyman St. Open Mon–Sat.

08 8087 2441

Silver City Mint & Art Centre

The Big Picture

Home of Peter Anderson's Big Picture — the world's largest acrylic painting at 12m × 100m. The work depicts the natural history of the region. Chloride St.

08 8087 6956

Brushmen of the Bush

Historic movement

The founding group of BH artists — Pro Hart, Jack Absalom, Eric Minchin, John Pickup, and Hugh Schulz — who put Broken Hill on the Australian art map in the 1960s–70s.

Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery

Public gallery

Changing exhibitions of local, regional and national artists. Permanent collection includes significant works. Chloride St. Free entry. Tue–Sun 10am–5pm.

08 8088 5491

Living Desert Sculptures

Outdoor · permanent

12 sandstone sculptures carved in situ by artists from 10 countries in 1993. Sited on a ridge 10km north. Extraordinary sunset views. Free entry. Open sunrise–sunset.

Jack Absalom Gallery

Private gallery

Works of Jack Absalom — one of the original Brushmen. Outback realism, landscapes, wildlife. Studio open by appointment. Ph: 08 8087 3699.

Annual art events

Event	When	Description
Broken Hill Arts Festival	May	Multi-week festival of visual art, music, performance across the city
Gallery trail weekends	Year-round	Self-guided trail connecting 20+ galleries and studios
Sculpture Symposium (occasional)	Varies	International artists in residence, public creation events
BH Show — art section	April	Local artists, crafts, photographic competitions at the annual show

BIZ

Every business in Broken Hill · Search · Map · Submit

Business Directory

The complete Broken Hill business directory. Search by name, category or service. Map view shows locations. Free to list — submit your business below.

⌕

Showing all businesses

Map

— locations

List your business

Free · No account needed

Business name

Geocaching

Geocaching is a worldwide GPS treasure hunt. There are over 3 million active caches globally. Broken Hill and surrounds have a surprisingly strong geocaching community — the remote outback landscape makes for memorable finds.

Getting started

1. Create a free account

Visit geocaching.com or download the Geocaching app (iOS/Android). Basic membership is free. Premium unlocks all cache types and advanced filters.

2. Find caches near you

Search "Broken Hill NSW" on the app. Caches are rated by difficulty (1–5) and terrain (1–5). Start with D1/T1 for your first find.

3. Sign the log

When you find a cache, sign the physical log inside, then log your find online. If there are trade items, trade equal or up in value.

4. Rules of the game

Never reveal cache locations publicly (SPOILERS). Return cache exactly as found. Never move a cache. Cache In Trash Out — leave the area cleaner than you found it.

Notable BH area caches

Living Desert SculpturesT2/D2

Scenic cache at the sculpture park. Stunning sunrise/sunset views. Memorable terrain walk.

Silverton Ghost TownT1/D2

Multiple caches around the historic ghost town. Great for a day trip combo.

Menindee Lakes seriesT2/D2

Cache series around the lake foreshore. Some require a short boat trip. Wildlife abundant.

Mundi Mundi LookoutT3/D2

The famous plains viewpoint. You can see the curvature of the Earth from here. Worth the find.

View all caches on geocaching.com →

Cache types explained

Traditional cache

A physical container at the listed coordinates. Contains a log sheet, sometimes trinkets. Most common type. Good for beginners.

Multi-cache

Multiple stages — each gives coordinates to the next. Final stage has the log. Often takes you on a guided tour of an area.

Mystery/puzzle cache

Solve a puzzle to find the real coordinates. Listed coordinates are not the cache location. Popular with experienced cachers.

SPORT

Netball · Soccer · Cricket · Football · Go Karts · Rally

Local Sports

Every local competition, club, and fixture in one place. Broken Hill punches well above its weight for a city its size.

Netball

BH Netball Assoc

Broken Hill Netball Association runs competitions from junior to senior grade throughout the season. Games played at the BH Indoor Sports Centre, Oxide St.

SeasonApril – September

Game nightsTuesday & Thursday evenings

VenueBH Indoor Sports Centre, Oxide St

Contact08 8087 6600

Soccer — BHJFA

Broken Hill JFA

Broken Hill Junior Football Association covers Under 6 through to senior grades. Home games at Crystal St Recreation Ground.

SeasonMarch – August

Junior gamesSaturday mornings

Senior gamesSaturday afternoons

VenueCrystal St Recreation Ground

Cricket — BHCA

BH Cricket Assoc

BH Cricket Association runs A, B and C grade competitions plus junior competitions. Multiple clubs including Railways, Souths, Norths, Wests.

SeasonOctober – March

Game daysSaturdays (two-day format)

VenuesVarious ovals around BH

Football (AFL/Rugby League)

Central competition

BH has both AFL and Rugby League competitions. AFL clubs include Centrals, Souths, Norths, Wests. Rugby League competes in the Far West competition.

AFL seasonApril – September

RL seasonMarch – August

AFL venueBroken Hill Showground

RL venueZinc Corporation Oval

Go Karts

BH Kart Club

Broken Hill Kart Club races at their dedicated track. Open to all ages and skill levels. Club nights and championship rounds throughout the year.

Race daysMonthly — check Facebook

TrackBH Kart Track, Menindee Rd

ClassesJunior, Cadet, Senior, TAG

Rally Racing

Silver City Rally

The Silver City Rally is one of the premier outback rally events in Australia. Stages run through the Mundi Mundi Plains and surrounding areas. Attracts national and international competitors.

Annual eventTypically July/August

LocationMundi Mundi Plains & region

Websitesilvercityrally.com.au

Upcoming fixtures

Community sourced

ℹ

Live fixture data coming soon — scrapers being built for club websites. In the meantime check individual club Facebook pages for latest draws.

FOOD

All Broken Hill eateries · Menus · Hours · Contacts

Food Menus

Every restaurant, café, pub, and takeaway in Broken Hill. Menus, hours, and contact details in one place.

Broken Earth Café

Café

AddressArgent St, CBD

HoursMon–Sat 7am–3pm

SpecialityBreakfast, coffee, light meals

Phone08 8087 XXXX

Palace Hotel

Pub · Historic

AddressArgent St (iconic painted pub)

HoursDaily 10am–late

FoodBistro lunch & dinner

NotablePro Hart murals inside

Musicians Club

Club dining

AddressChloride St

Dining hoursLunch & dinner daily

SpecialsMeal deals for members

Phone08 8087 3699

Demo Club (BSDC)

Club dining

AddressArgent St

Dining hoursLunch Mon–Fri, Dinner daily

Known forCheap meals, counter meals

Phone08 8087 3877

BH Chinese Restaurant

Chinese · Takeaway

HoursDinner Tue–Sun from 5pm

Dine in & takeawayYes

+

Submit your restaurant
menu or listing

Live menus being added as venues provide them

Want your menu listed? Email menu details to the site or submit via the community form. We'll add full menus, hours, and specials for any BH venue that wants to be included. This section will grow as venues come on board.

BIN

BHCC · Weekly collections · Greens · Recycling

Garbage Collection

Find your bin collection day by street or suburb. General waste, recycling, and green waste schedules for Broken Hill.

Look up your collection day

⌕

Collection schedule by zone

Zone / Area	General	Recycling	Green waste
CBD & Argent St area	Monday	Monday (alt weeks)	Wednesday (fortnightly)
Alma area	Tuesday	Tuesday (alt weeks)	Thursday (fortnightly)
South Broken Hill	Wednesday	Wednesday (alt weeks)	Friday (fortnightly)
North Broken Hill	Thursday	Thursday (alt weeks)	Monday (fortnightly)
Patton / West BH	Friday	Friday (alt weeks)	Tuesday (fortnightly)
Silverton	Thursday	Monthly	Not serviced

Note: Exact days may vary. Always confirm with BHCC for your specific street. Holiday periods may shift collections by one day.

What goes in each bin

🗑 Red lid — General waste

Food scraps, non-recyclable plastics, nappies, broken glass, polystyrene, soft plastics. Collected weekly.

♻ Yellow lid — Recycling

Paper, cardboard, glass bottles/jars, rigid plastics (1–7), steel & aluminium cans. Must be clean and dry. Collected fortnightly.

🌿 Lime lid — Green waste

Garden waste only — grass clippings, leaves, branches (under 10cm diameter), prunings. No food waste, no soil, no rocks. Collected fortnightly.

BHCC waste info →

Tip & transfer station

LocationMenindee Rd (south of town)

HoursMon–Sat 8am–4pm, Sun 8am–12pm

FeesVaries by load size

Phone08 8080 3300

Green waste accepted free of charge at the transfer station year-round. Household hazardous waste drop-off days held periodically — check BHCC website for dates. E-waste (TVs, computers) accepted separately.

1800s

Trove · State Library NSW · National Library · Community

Historic Photos

Digitised photographs of Broken Hill from the 1880s onward. Sourced from Trove (National Library of Australia), the State Library of NSW, and community collections. A visual record of the world's oldest mining city.

⌕

From Trove — National Library of Australia

Loading...

Searching Trove for Broken Hill photographs...

Curated collection

Showing all photos

Contribute a photo

Community sourced

Have an old photo of Broken Hill? Family photos, mine sites, street scenes, events — all welcome. High resolution scans preferred. Photos will be credited to the contributor and donated to the community record.

Contribute to Trove → State Library NSW →

RACE

Broken Hill Jockey Club · Race days · Form · Results

Horse Racing

1877

BHJC established

—

Next race day

Broken Hill

Racecourse location

TAB

Wagering operator

Broken Hill Jockey Club

Est. 1877

RacecourseBroken Hill Racecourse, Racecourse Rd

Phone08 8087 3544

Race daysApprox monthly · check calendar

SurfaceDirt track

TAB wageringtab.com.au →

The Broken Hill Jockey Club is one of Australia's most remote racing clubs. Race days are social events for the whole community — fashion on the field, live entertainment, and an atmosphere unique to outback racing. The Silver City Cup is the premier race of the season.

2024–25 Race calendar

BHJC

Date	Meeting	Feature race
Apr 2025	Autumn Cup Day	Broken Hill Autumn Cup
May 2025	Mid-season Meet	Silver City Stakes
Jul 2025	ANZAC Tribute	Diggers Cup
Aug 2025	Silver City Cup Day	Silver City Cup (feature)
Oct 2025	Spring Meet	Barrier Ranges Stakes
Dec 2025	Christmas Carnival	Summer Sprint

Dates approximate. Confirm with BHJC before travelling. Racing NSW may vary programming.

Racing NSW → TAB — BH races →

Live results — race nights

TAB / Racing NSW

ℹ

Live race results will appear here on race nights. Data sourced from Racing NSW and TAB. On non-race days this section shows the most recent results.

No race meeting today. Next race day shown above. Check tab.com.au for live form and race fields.

BWS

BWS · Dan Murphy's · Local bottle shops · Weekly specials

Bottle Shop Specials

Current specials from Broken Hill bottle shops. Updated weekly from catalogues.

BWS Broken Hill

Current specials

Great Northern Super Crisp 30-pack

Cans · 3.5% · Limited time

$49

Jim Beam White 1L

Bourbon · Mixers sold separately

$52

Yellow Tail Shiraz 6-pack

Red wine · 750ml bottles

$55

📍 Argent St · Ph: 08 8087 XXXX · Hours: Mon–Sat 9am–9pm, Sun 10am–8pm

Liquorland / Local bottle shops

Weekly deals

XXXX Gold 24-pack

Cans · 3.5%

$44

Wolf Blass Red Label Cab Sauv

750ml · SA grapes

$12

Bundaberg Rum 700ml

OP or UP

$48

⚠ Sample prices — scraper coming. Check in-store for current specials.

Live catalogue scraping for BWS, Dan Murphy's and Liquorland is being built. Prices shown are samples only. Always verify in-store. Drink responsibly. If you or someone you know needs help: Lifeline 13 11 14.

SALE

Harvey Norman · Kmart · Retravision · Weekly catalogues

Shop Specials

Harvey Norman

Chloride St

Electronics, appliances, furniture, bedding. Interest-free finance. Weekly catalogue specials in-store and online.

Phone08 8087 7400

HoursMon–Fri 9–5:30, Sat 9–5, Sun 10–4

Current catalogue →

Kmart

Argent St

Clothing, homewares, electronics, toys, sporting goods. Weekly specials every Thursday.

Phone08 8087 4100

HoursMon–Wed 8–6, Thu–Fri 8–9, Sat 8–6, Sun 10–5

Kmart specials →

Retravision

BH

Whitegoods, TVs, small appliances. Local independent retailer. Price match guarantee. Delivery and installation available.

HoursMon–Fri 9–5:30, Sat 9–1

Retravision catalogue →

ℹ

Live catalogue scraping is being built. This section will automatically update with this week's specials once the scraper is active. For now, links go directly to each retailer's current catalogue.

☀

Verified BH installers · Current rebates · System pricing

Solar Deals — Broken Hill

Broken Hill gets some of Australia's best solar irradiance — making solar one of the best investments you can make here. Current deals from verified local and regional installers, plus all available rebates.

5.8

Peak sun hours/day (BH avg)

$0

Upfront cost (after rebates, typical 6.6kW)

3–4yr

Typical payback period BH

STCs

Federal rebate — auto applied

Available rebates & incentives

2024–25

Federal STC rebate (auto-applied)

Small-scale Technology Certificates reduce upfront cost automatically through your installer. For a 6.6kW system in BH the STC value is approximately $2,800–$3,200. No application needed — installer handles it.

NSW Energy Savings Scheme

Additional NSW rebate for eligible households. Value varies — typically $500–$1,500 for solar + battery combinations. Apply via Service NSW after installation.

Hot water system upgrade rebate

Switching from electric resistance or gas hot water to solar hot water or heat pump: up to $1,000 rebate. Can be combined with solar panels.

Feed-in tariff (FiT)

Export excess power to the grid. Current BH FiT rates: approximately 5–8¢/kWh depending on retailer. Compare retailers at energymadeeasy.gov.au

System pricing guide — BH 2024

System size	Panels	Before rebate	After STC	Annual saving est.
3kW	8–10	$4,500	$2,800	~$800/yr
6.6kW	16–20	$7,500	$4,500	~$1,600/yr
10kW	25–28	$11,000	$7,200	~$2,400/yr
6.6kW + battery	16–20	$16,000	$11,500	~$2,200/yr

Prices are estimates based on 2024 market rates. Get 3 quotes before committing. Only use CEC-accredited installers — required for rebates.

Compare energy plans →

Tips for BH solar buyers

✓ Use a CEC-accredited installer

Required for all government rebates. Check at solaraccreditation.com.au

✓ Get 3 quotes

Prices vary significantly. Local installers may offer better service but regional may be cheaper.

✓ Check panel brand warranties

In BH's harsh climate (heat, dust) a 25-year panel warranty matters. Tier 1 brands only.

✓ North-facing panels

Maximum output in BH. West-facing panels can also work well for afternoon loads.

✓ Consider battery storage

BH's low FiT rate means storing and self-consuming power is more valuable than exporting.

✓ Dust cleaning

BH dust reduces output. Factor in panel cleaning every 3–6 months — especially after dust events.

STAY

Hotels · Motels · Caravan parks · Airbnb · Current rates

Accommodation Rates

$95

Cheapest motel (avg/night)

$185

Mid-range avg/night

$35

Caravan park powered site

12+

Accommodation options in BH

Lodge Motel

Oxide St · Pool · Pet friendly

$95–$135

per night · room only

08 8088 2722

Desert Wind Motel

Menindee Rd · Modern rooms

$105–$145

per night · room only

08 8087 6600

Royal Exchange Hotel

Argent St · Historic pub rooms

$85–$120

per night · B&B option

08 8087 2308

Palace Hotel

Argent St · Famous painted pub

$95–$150

per night

08 8088 1699

BH Tourist Lodge

Argent St · Budget · Backpackers

$35–$85

per night · dorm or private

08 8087 7744

BH Caravan Park

Rakow St · Powered sites · Cabins

$35–$95

powered site or cabin

08 8087 3841

Rates are approximate and vary by season, availability and room type. Book direct for best rates. Also check Booking.com and Airbnb for additional options. School holiday and race day weekends book out early.

CARS

Local dealers · New & used · All makes

Car Yards — Broken Hill

Local dealerships

Broken Hill Toyota

New & used Toyota. Service centre. Parts. Fleet sales.

📍 Oxide St 08 8087 3033

Barrier Motors

Holden/GM service, used vehicles. Long-established BH dealer.

📍 Argent St 08 8087 XXXX

Silver City Motors

Used vehicles. Trade-ins welcome. Finance available.

📍 Iodide St 08 8087 XXXX

Latest listings

Carsales · Gumtree

ℹ

Live car yard listings scraper is being built. Will pull from Carsales.com.au and local dealer websites daily. For now, search directly:

Carsales — BH → Gumtree — BH cars → FB Marketplace →

MAP

Community incident reporting · Photo & video upload

Crime Report Map

Report local incidents, suspicious activity, vandalism and safety concerns. All reports are community-sourced and moderated. Always call 000 for emergencies and 131 444 for non-urgent police.

🚨

Emergency? Call 000. Non-urgent police: 131 444. Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 (anonymous). This map is a community tool — it does not replace official reporting.

Incident map — Broken Hill

Click map to add incident · Hover pins for details · Data from community reports

Report an incident

Anonymous OK

Incident type

Location / Street

When did it happen?

Description

📷 Photo/video upload coming once backend storage is set up. For now attach photos when reporting to Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.

HAM

Amateur radio · UHF CB · Repeaters · Far West NSW

Amateur Radio

Broken Hill's remote location makes amateur radio particularly important for emergency communications and outback travel. Local repeaters, UHF CB cheat sheet, and club information.

Broken Hill amateur radio repeaters

Callsign	Output (MHz)	Input	CTCSS	Coverage
VK2RBH	146.700	146.100	91.5 Hz	BH city & surrounds
VK2RBH-D	439.875	434.875	91.5 Hz	BH UHF repeater
VK2RAW	147.000	147.600	None	Far West wide area

Repeater data sourced from WIA repeater directory. Verify before use — configurations may change.

UHF CB cheat sheet

40-channel

Channel	Freq (MHz)	Use
Ch 40	477.400	Road comms · Trucks · Primary outback
Ch 29	476.875	4WD clubs · Convoy comms
Ch 18	476.450	Marine / water comms
Ch 9	476.225	Emergency calling channel
Ch 5 / 35	476.125 / 477.125	Emergency — repeater output
Ch 11	476.275	Caravans · RVs
Ch 1–8, 10–38	Various	General use — avoid 9, 5, 35

Outback tip: Always monitor Ch 40 when driving remote roads. Ch 40 is how truckies warn about road conditions, oncoming wide loads, and emergencies.

Broken Hill Amateur Radio Club

Club callsignVK2ARC

MeetingsMonthly — check local notices

LicensingACMA →

WIA (peak body)wia.org.au →

Amateur radio operators play an important role in emergency communications in remote NSW. The WICEN (Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network) provides comms support for SES, RFS and other emergency services during major incidents.

FIND

Search any name · Place · Address · Business · Historical records

Name & Place Search

Search across multiple historical and public sources for any name, place, address or business connected to Broken Hill. Pulls from Trove, electoral rolls, business records, and local archives.

⌕

Enter a search term above to find historical records about people, places and businesses connected to Broken Hill.

Available record sources

Trove newspapers

Barrier Miner, Barrier Daily Truth, Broken Hill Times — digitised 1880s–1990s. Search mentions in local press.

NSW electoral rolls

Historic electoral records showing BH residents by address. Available via Archives NSW and Ancestry.

Business directory

Historic Sands & McDougall directories listing BH businesses by year. Available via State Library NSW.

Mining employment records

BHP and ZC Mines employment records held at BH City Library and State Records NSW.

NSW Land Registry

Property ownership history. Search at nswlrs.com.au for current and historical title holders.

BH City Library local studies

Extensive local history collection. In-person access. Ph: 08 8080 3300. Photographs, maps, ephemera.

GROK

Deep research links · Every topic on this dashboard · Powered by Grok / xAI

Grokipedia

One-click deep research on every topic covered in this dashboard. Each link opens Grok pre-loaded with a research query about that topic specific to Broken Hill.