Art galleries and Museums

Today 2 fellow kiwis and I walked to the notorious gallery of Pro Hart and to the Whites Mineral Art Gallery and Museum
We cut across some bare land at the back of the staff quarters

Pro Hart is one of Australia's most popular and controversal artists. His works have been exhibited all over the world. He was a miner for years and began painting to keep himself sane after long hrs underground.
His creative imagination moved him to explore many mediums.
He worked on prints and ceramics, bronze and silver casts then on to large scale steel sculptures.

He had a passion for music, his favourite instument being the electric pipe organ that takes pride in his gallery.
His other passions were pistol shooting,weight lifting, motorbikes and vintage cars.

These Rolls Royces were amazing, particularly the artworks on the one seen below

He died in 2006 having produced 1000's of paintings.. Quite incredible as he started painting later in his life.

After perusing this gallery we cut across some vacant land to get to Whites Museum. There are lots of sunflowers around at present

This is a family gallery and museum which features a walk-in mine on the surface, with a tour and video of the history of the Broken Hill mining, exhibits of mining equipment, models of mining structures and pictures using

the minerals as the medium

These a a few of the dolls of the Doll and Bear Display

Eric in Langkawi

While I've been working at Broken Hill Eric's been maintaining our yacht "Erica". He's finished sanding and varnishing the exterior trim and has reorganised our computer systems onboard with help from an IT specialist who's cruising Asia as well.
He's been up to Thailand by ferry to renew his visa but the camera packed a sad so no photos.

He's very good with helping others..The Toloyot boat building project in the Louisiades PNG

 Raising money  for orphanages through Indonesia as we sailed through last year and recently helping a swiss cruising couple who organise the clean up of beaches and islands.
Here are a few photos of the beach clean up at Kuha,Langkawi in Malaysia. Apparently about 80 cruisers and locals took part and collected the majority of the rubbish in a few minutes. It has only scratched the surface though.

Local woman collecting rubbish

Eric burning rubbish

Hash House Harriers

Each week on Wednesday evenings I have been enjoying the walk/run with the local Hash House Harriers club.

The Hash house harriers is an international group of non-competitive running, social and drinking clubs. An event organized by a club is known as a Hash or Hash Run, with participants calling themselves Hashers.

Hashing originated in December 1938 in  Kuala Lumpar when a group of  British colonial officers and expatriates began meeting to run, in a fashion patterned after the traditional British Paperchase or "Hare and Hounds .

Apart from the excitement of chasing the hare and finding the trail, harriers reaching the end of the trail would be rewarded with beer, ginger beer and cigarettes.

Hashing died out during World War 2 after the Invasion of Malaya, but was re-started after the war by most of the original group
At a Hash, one or more members (Hares) lay a trail, which is then followed by the remainder of the group (the Pack or Hounds). The trail often includes false trails, short cuts, dead ends, and splits. These features are designed to keep the pack together regardless of fitness level or running speed, as front-runners are forced to slow down to find the "true" trail, allowing stragglers to catch up.

Members often describe their group as " A drinking club with a running problem " indicating that the social element of an event is as important, if not more so, than any athleticism involved. Beer remains an integral part of a Hash, though the balance between running and drinking differs between chapters, with some groups placing more focus on socializing and others on running.

Generally, Hash events are open to the public and require no reservation or membership, but some may require a small fee, referred to as hashcash, to cover the costs incurred, such as food or drink.The end of a trail is an opportunity to socialize, have a drink and observe any traditions of the individual chapter .

A down-down is a means of punishing, rewarding, or merely recognizing an individual for any action or behavior according to the customs or whims of the group. Generally, the individual in question is asked to consume without pause the contents of his or her drinking vessel or risk pouring the remaining contents on his or her head. Individuals may be recognized for outstanding service, or for their status as a visitor or newcomer.

Down-Downs also serve as punishment for misdemeanors real, imagined, or blatantly made up. Hashers who wear new shoes to an event can be required to drink from their shoe.
The use of real names during an event is discouraged. Members are typically given a "hash name," usually in deference to a particularly notorious escapade, a personality trait, or their physical appearance. In some chapters the name must be earned - that is, hashers are not named until they've done something outstanding, unusual, or stupid enough to warrant a name.

Being from NewZealand and sailing the oceans I was named.... "Sheepwreck", then had to have the obligatory drink while the standard song was sung

She's a pisspot so they say, is a piker through and through, tried to go to heaven but was turned the other way...Down Down down

This upside down "Downdown" was for the 100th run

It's a great way of getting to know people, be part of excursions and camping trips and other social events and get some exercise in company

Bike ride to the Living Desert Sanctuary and Sculptures

This morning I set off on my bike to a lonely hilltop 12kms out of Broken Hill to see the artwork of 12 sculptors.

 The work was completed in 1993 after a mammoth effort by local contractors to move huge sandstone boulders up a rough bush track to the top.

 Here they were transformed into an artwork of international standing.

These are situated in the Living Desert reserve amongst the Barrier Ranges.

There are picnic areas, BBQ's, toilets, shelters and seating throughout the park and it's really well signposted with plaques of information

A 900m walk up a steady grading takes you to the sculptures which look out across the wide terrain.

 Along the way there were wallabies.

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The reserve is a sanctuary of native flora and fauna, and educational and cultural experiences to enhance the understanding of the Aboriginal heritage and preservation of the environment

This bearded lizard was so well camoflaged that I nearly stepped on him

This simulated aboriginal shelter was constructed to show how the Wilyyakali people built them more than 20,000 yrs ago to gain protection from the intense heat. They were built out of Mulga branches and the leaves of the kerosene tree

These are Story poles carved from Red river gum by Aboriginal art students

I had to cut my walk short as the weather was rapidly changing.

The rain came in and by the time I'd biked back to Broken HilI I was soaked, but it was an invigorating ride