Tour to Silverton

On Sunday a group of medical staff from the quarters went to see Silverton with it's film fame history. A town 25kms from here. This outback ghost town is the scene for more than 140 films and commercials; Bryan Brown's Dirty Deeds, Mad Max2, Priscilla Queen of the desert, Royal flying Dr series etc etc

It was once a prospecting town with a reputation for harbouring undesirables..Horse stealers, mining sharks and cattle duffers. Now it is a picturesque clutter of art galleries and artist studios and museums not to mention the Pub!. There used to be 10 Pubs and 3 breweries here in days gone by..

This hotel was full of photos of film sets and stars and memorabilia. There was a horse that used to come into the bar for beers each day and was so well known and loved that when he died they buried him in the garden bar.

Mad Max 2 cars

While our collegues went inside the Mad Max 2 Museum a friend an I enjoyed a "spider" (icecream soda) in the cafe next door which had alot of antiques and a doll collection

The Gaol was pretty impressive too and we enjoyed the old hospital room which was full of antiques of days gone by.One of the real curiosities was the coroners bath! This was filled with preservitive and bodies were placed in it until the coroner came from Sydney

Then we drove out to the Mundi Mundi  lookout where from the top of the hill one could look across the plains to eternity but we  couldn't go any further due to flooding in the valley

10 weeks to go in Broken Hill, The Silver city

I've been here 2 weeks now and I hit the Maternity unit with my feet running.. Every birth I had something to do with. The unit is short staffed so I worked long shifts and was called in when off duty, when a woman came in labouring. The staff are really lovely and the unit is well run and organised so I didn't mind. Most of the births are over for this month so my second week, being nightshifts were quiet.

I'm now enjoying my days off.
Yesterday I biked up to the Line of Lode mine where there is a memorial to the miners who lost their lives there,( Left of photo)and a restaurant and souvenir shop.( Right side of photo)

The Line of Lode is the richest deposit of silver, lead and zinc in the world. The ore body shaped like a coat hanger, is 7.5kms long and 250m wide.

The cafe/ Restaurant has a lovely view over the town

Today I biked to the Aquatic centre to do some lengths of the pool. There was a school carnival on so I enjoyed watching the kids swimming

Then I rode over to Sth Broken Hill which is the "other side of the hill" and enjoyed a milkshake in Bells milkbar and museum. The original 1950's decor was really interesting and they handmade their syrups to flavour the icecream sodas and shakes. I had caramel and it was truely the best thickshake that I can remember. I'll certainly be heading there again!

On the way home I marvelled at the number of old pubs.It is said that when Broken Hill was in it's hey day there was a pub on every corner and I can quite believe it.

There are some very nice renovated villas and the prices are cheap

We have been unindated with grasshoppers and crickets in the staff residence. I don't know how they get in. Even having a rolled up towel at the bottom of the door doesn't stop them. This spider has a web at the top of the stairway on the way to work. He's quite impressive

Broken Hill Midwifery Contract

On the 26th of January I said goodbye to Eric and our home aboard SV "Erica" ( Can you spot him in the water there, waving?) and flew from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpar, then on to the Gold Coast. My twin sister Madeline was not aware of me coming. I had not told her about getting a midwifery contract in Broken Hill as I wanted the visit to the Gold Coast to be kept a suprise. When she got home from work and opened the door she jumped and looked around horrified as I said "About time you got home" from behind the sofa!
I enjoyed 3 days with her and Peter before flying on to Broken Hill.

It was a very interesting flight over a very barren landscape with runoffs from recent rain

I have a 13 wk contract here until May the 1st. Eric has the unenviable job of sanding and varnishing in the heat and humidity!
I was given a very friendly welcome and quick tour of the hospital before being taken to the staff quarters
The hospital is quite new and is set out really nicely but the old nurses home doesn't look like there's been any change since being built in 1941

 Panoramic view taken from the town, looking towards the staff residence on the hill

Hospital from front and back

Broken Hill is an isolated mining city in the far west of outback NSW near the Sth Australian border. It mines silver, zinc and lead..Adelaide which is the nearest major city is around 500 km  to the southwest.Sydney is 1100kms to the east. It is surrounded by semi-desert, but the town has some lovely  parks and gardens and offers a number of attractions. Today I walked to the Post office to collect my welcome pack sent by my agency" Nurse at Call" and what a lovely array of gifts. A telstra bubble touch phone with credit, calender,soap,jellybeans, pen and ruler............ It was my birthday yesterday.

I took these photos this morning before it got too hot. The temperatures have been in the 40's, but a very dry heat.

 The murals on the outside wall of the train station were very good. This photo does no credit to them though

Park in town

 The post office

Mine tailings on the Broken Hill behind the town

 Alot of the homes have been renovated and look really nice.

I start work tomorrow. It's been great having the first 2 days off to familiarise myself.

I'll update again when there's more news