BROKEN HILL The first Broken Hill settlement took place on a saltbush plain on the northwestern side of the outcropping orebody. Up to 1885, the settlement contained only a few hundred people but, by 1886, more than 3,000 resided in a tent and shanty town. The township of Willyama was laid out by the NSW Government Surveyor in early 1886 in the area of the original settlement immediately adjacent to the mining leases. The name proved unpopular and Broken Hill was maintained. In 1888, the population reached 11,000 and the town was incorporated as a municipality. The town by then had attained a permanent nature, although most of the buildings were constructed of timber and corrugated iron. Included were 35 hotels and a large number of churches. A railway link with South Australia via Silverton was opened in 1888, which simplified transport of ore, supplies and passengers. During its early years, Broken Hill was known not only for its mineral wealth but also for its dust storms and poor living conditions. Destruction of vegetation around the town for use in the mines and smelters increased the severity of natural dust storms, and smelters and mine plant belched noxious fumes and dust over the town. The shortage of fresh food and water led to the spread of disease - a typhoid epidemic in 1888 killed 128 people. However, it was not until 1892 that a private company constructed the Stephens Creek Reservoir and reticulation system to the town and mines. By 1891, the population had passed 21,000, making Broken Hill the third largest town in NSW. Significant civic progress was made during the 1890s with the construction of schools, technical college, town hall, post office and gaol. During this period, many of the timber and iron hotels and business houses were rebuilt in brick and stone. Streets were constructed and recreation reserve were planted with trees and developed for public use. In 1901, the population reached 31,000, at which level it remained for about 15 years. Broken Hill was proclaimed a city in July 1907, the same year as peak employment of almost 9,000 on the mines. During the two World Wars, normal mining production was interrupted and many people left to serve in the war. The depression of the early 1930s caused about 4,000 people to become dependant on Government relief. The population increased with the mining boom after World War 2, again reaching 31,000 during the 1950s and 60s, but has declined steadily since. The present population is about 24,000, of whom 700 are employed by the mine, as at 1991. Broken Hill was laid out in grid form, the orientation of which was controlled by the line of adjacent mining leases which ran northeast – southwest. There are four major area of the city, Central, North, South and Railwaytown. Central Broken Hill is the far the largest area and contains the majority of the city’s housing and its main commercial area in Argent Street. This merges with North Broken Hill which was centred on a reserve (which is now Queen Elizabeth Park) and nearby school and postoffice. South Broken Hill (originally named Alma) lies to the south of the line of load. Railwaytown lies to the west of and separated from the main part of city by the route of the Salvation railway line. Both South Broken Hill and Railwaytown have their commercial areas with public buildings, post offices recreation reserves etc. Street names in Broken Hill are of historical significance as they were generally named after the first aldermen (e.g. Ryan, Cornish, chapple), mining officials (e.g. Jamieson, Wilson, Patton) or minerals (e.g. Argent, Blende, Sulphide, Chloride). |
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