Broken Hill lies in the
When the first European settlers arrived in Sydney Cove in 1788 the
extensive ore deposit- in shape resembling a coat-hanger with each end plunging
into the earth-was hidden under a rocky over-burden, at depths ranging from 30
metres to over a 1000 metres.
Valuable Silver deposits were discovered in the early 1880’s around
Umberumberka (now called Silverton). In
1883 it was a tent camp and by 1885 the population had exceeded 3000 people. In
1883 a boundary rider from Mount Gipps Station by the name of Charles Rasp
formed a syndicate to explore and dig mining shafts into what was called the
“hump backed ridge” which was located 25 kilometres from Silverton. Rasp
decided that this ridge or “broken hill” was a mass of tin oxide. Late in 1884
rich silver
chlorides were found and wealthy local pastoralists began buying into
the enterprise. Early in 1885 the value of shares what was then “the Broken
Hill Mining Company” increased, but more capital was needed to exploit the
deposit. The owners decided to float a public company and in August 1885 the
Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP)
was launched.
The pegging of seven mineral leases at Broken Hill in September 1883,
followed by the formation of BHP in 1885 was to have a profound effect on the
economy of
The growth and development of the mines and township, in an isolated
semi arid portion of NSW, produced problems far in excess of those experienced
in the coastal regions with an already established transport system, water and
power supply. The people of Broken Hill met these challenges, with little or no
support from the government of the day.
The early years were characterised by the effects of heat, dust storms,
severe water shortages, typhoid epidemics, transport difficulties and bitter
conflict between management and labour.
Newspaper Articles
Otago Witness (
13 April 1888
A private letter received at Reefton from Broken Hill says that fever is
very prevalent there; no less than 46 deaths having taken place there in one
week. It also states that town land is rising rapidly in value, frontages in
the principal thoroughfare,
20 April 1888
It is stated on very reliable authority (sayn the Silver Age of March
30) that at the present there are no less than a 160 cases of typhoid fever in
Broken Hill, and of course, as there are many cases which have not yet come
under the notice of medical men, this cannot be taken as the real amount of
sickness existing in the town. The Argus, writing as to the hospital on March
30 says- “Well may the words be printed over the entrance to the hospital
‘Abandon hope all ye who enter here.’
A worse charnel house than the
27 April 1888
Inquirer- The Broken Hill silver mines are situated in