Broken Hill - 1st Try

As we drove north from Melbourne, the countryside went from green and lush to less green, then to brown and finally to red with spinifex scattered everywhere.

There is a feeling that a drive into the outback is to drive back in time. Back to a point in prehistory where the earth has not yet fully developed. Arriving in Broken Hill we find that we really on traveled back 50-100 years, mostly - not entire millenia.



I say this is the first time in Broken Hill since our goal is White Cliffs, another three hours drive. So, on the way to White Cliffs, we spend the night in Broken Hill to divide the trip into manageable chunks.

Those of you have seen Priscilla, Queen of the Desert may remember the wildly painted hotel when the "crew" stopped in Broken Hill. It is the Palace Hotel on Argent Street. The hill you see behind the hotel is a mine tailing or "skimp". On top is a memorial to the many miners who died in the mines.

Notice how much wider the streets are here than anywhere else we've been in Australia.

Surprisingly, there is also green in the center of town.

And there are buildings with beautiful facades.

And government buildings that look imposing.

The next leg of our journey is most interesting and frustrating. Stay tuned.