Broken Hill, NEW SOUTH WALES
Airing Date: Feb 17th, 2003
Broken Hill is located in the far west of outback NSW, just 48 kilometres east of the South Australian border. The Silver City, as it is sometimes called, is and always has been inextricably associated with the silver, lead and zinc mining.
But one of the most striking aspects of the town apart from the number of pubs is the remarkable aridity of the land, which is extremely barren, dry and dusty.
With its quintessentially Australian appearance, strong natural light and friendy locals, it's easy to see why film makers have chosen this little town as the setting of so many movies. Just some of the films shot here include Reckless Kelly, Wake in Fright, Dirty Deeds, and Mission: Impossible 2.
Arguably the most famous movie featuring Broken Hill was the drag queen movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. When the girls, or guys, arrived in town they stayed at the Palace Hotel, which they labelled 'tack-o-rama. With its brightly painted walls and ceilings, its a fun place to stay, and a double room will cost from just $67 a night.
Just half an hour up the road is the tiny town of Silverton. Once a thriving mining town, its now home to just 50 people.
In Silverton, donkeys wander down the main street, rusty old VW wrecks lay about in the baking sun, solitary dunnies stand on the hillside and ruins crumble all around. But despite its fascinating landscape, Silverton's biggest drawcard is probably the Silverton Hotel. The old, unusual pub has been featured in a variety of movies such as A Town like Alice and Dirty Deeds. The hotel's friendly staff can even tell you a tale or two about the towns brushes with fame.
Further down the road is the Mundi Mundi Plains, the setting for scenes from Mad Max 2. While the movie was filmed around the areas of Broken Hill and Silverton, the opening scene and the final truck wreck scene were filmed on the Mundi Mundi Plains. The dusty, arid and vast landscape was the ideal setting for the famous film.
If youre interested in checking out three of the actual vehicles used in Mad Max 2, head to Penrose Park. Located five minutes outside Silverton, it costs just $5 to see the wrecked vehicles.
The facts
Regional Express flies daily to Broken Hill every day except Saturday. Prices start from $530 ex Sydney, including taxes.
Regional Express
Tel: 13 17 13
Charles Rasp Motor Inn costs $84 per double room per night.
Charles Rasp Motor Inn
Tel: 08 8088 1988
Broken Hill Visitors Information Centre
Tel: 08 8087 6077
Marios Palace Hotel
Tel: 08 8088 1699
