Day 61: Get away to Silverton
For today's get away, a visit to Silverton, a town of around 50 people in the far west of New South Wales. The first time I visited Silverton this street was filled with double parked tourist coaches; my photo was a disaster. The next time I made it my business to be there before the coaches arrived, and even before the hotel opened.
In 1875, two men drilling a well south of the town site hit a lode of silver. Miners flooded in and Silverton was born. By 1890 the town had 3,000 inhabitants, but the high grade ore was soon depleted, and the population drifted away. Most people moved to nearby Broken Hill where an even richer silver-lead-zinc ore body was discovered.
There is a lot more to Silverton than this iconic street. There is a community of artists, mostly attracted by the colour of the country and the vibrant light. There are museums, historic buildings, ruins of houses and a church, several restaurants and some friendly donkeys who will accept handouts from anybody willing to feed them.
The tourist coaches bring visitors to have a beer at the iconic pub, it's been in quite a few movies and commercials, and then turn them loose to buy souvenirs and food from the local businesses.
Day 61: Get away to Silverton
For today's get away, a visit to Silverton, a town of around 50 people in the far west of New South Wales. The first time I visited Silverton this street was filled with double parked tourist coaches; my photo was a disaster. The next time I made it my business to be there before the coaches arrived, and even before the hotel opened.
In 1875, two men drilling a well south of the town site hit a lode of silver. Miners flooded in and Silverton was born. By 1890 the town had 3,000 inhabitants, but the high grade ore was soon depleted, and the population drifted away. Most people moved to nearby Broken Hill where an even richer silver-lead-zinc ore body was discovered.
There is a lot more to Silverton than this iconic street. There is a community of artists, mostly attracted by the colour of the country and the vibrant light. There are museums, historic buildings, ruins of houses and a church, several restaurants and some friendly donkeys who will accept handouts from anybody willing to feed them.
The tourist coaches bring visitors to have a beer at the iconic pub, it's been in quite a few movies and commercials, and then turn them loose to buy souvenirs and food from the local businesses.