Major outback centre of New South Wales and famous mining town.
Broken Hill is located on the Barrier Range in the far west of NSW, just 48 km east of the South Australian border. 1160 km west of Sydney via the Great Western, Mitchell and Barrier Highways and 304 m above sea-level it had a population in 1991 of 23 263.
One of the most striking aspects of the town, apart from the number of pubs, is the remarkable aridity of the region.
Drive out to the start of the Mundi Mundi Plain, north-west of the town, and marvel at the fact that you are in New South Wales and the desert around you doesn't fundamentally change until you reach the coast of Western Australia. Broken Hill is literally an oasis in the desert, a place of green parks and gardens. It can get very hot in summer but it is rare for the daily maximum to exceed 38° C for more than 8 or 9 days a year.
Broken Hill has also become an important regional art centre. It is home to the so-called 'Brushmen of the Bush', a group consisting of Pro Hart, Eric Minchin, Hugh Schulz, John W. Pickup and Jack Absalom. Although diverse of style they are all self-taught and are all noted for their distinctly Australian subject matter and the inspiration they draw from the town and its surrounds.