An artist’s dream: Silverton, NSW

Those who arrive in Silverton in the middle of the day and leave before the sun drops below the horizon will miss a spectacular sight.

Scattered throughout the oft-called ghost town are several well-preserved stone buildings intermingled with crumbling ruins and, regardless of their state, in the harsh light of day they expose what must’ve been incredible hardship for those who called this place home when it was first settled in 1875 with the discovery of silver.

But hang around in town as sunset approaches and you will witness that harsh light soften, and with it the intact buildings and the ruins begin to reflect a far gentler – and more colourful – side to life in the outback.

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In fact, so captivating is the palette of sunset hues on offer that you might just be enticed to stay for a few days to see it over again … or even longer, as many resident artists have done so over the years.

Despite its ghost town moniker, there are several permanent residents in Silverton, and there is plenty to see and do both in and around the town.

For those staying in Broken Hill, Silverton is an easy 25km drive away, but if you want to stay in Silverton itself, there are several accommodation options including the fabulous Silverton Hotel.

Run by Peter and Patsy Price, the Silverton Hotel is one of those terrific outback pubs that’s jam-packed with character, with walls adorned with memorabilia including hats, guitars and funny signs. It’s a great spot to wash away the outback dust with a cold drink, and you won’t go hungry here either, with plenty of tasty meals to choose from.

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The original Silverton pub was built in 1884 and this was later replaced by a two-storey building that burnt down in 1918, the year in which the hotel moved in to what was once the town’s post office, where it remains today.

For those who want to stay overnight, out the back of the pub are seven self-contained units that Peter built himself, and these are situated opposite the ruins of the original two-storey pub. Peter used recycled timber and iron for the exterior of the accommodation block, giving it a rustic appearance, but throw open the doors and the immaculately maintained rooms are modern, spacious and comfortable.

Other nearby accommodation includes Penrose Park, which is a short stroll from the centre of town and offers powered and unpowered campsites, as well as self-contained en-suite cabins. Or for those who wish to experience life on an outback property, the award-winning Eldee Station is just a 15-minute drive to the north of Silverton.

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Nestled in the spectacular Barrier Ranges, Eldee is a four-wheel driver’s paradise, with plenty of challenging rocky tracks that take you in to and to the top of the Barrier Ranges. Accommodation options here include powered and unpowered campsites, as well as several air-conditioned suites and rooms.

Eldee hosts, Naomi and Stephen Schmidt, also operate the Silverton Bakery back in town, which is situated adjacent to the pub in Layard Street. Pies, cakes, pastries, breads and biscuits are all prepared on-site at the bakery, which also offers barista-made coffees, milkshakes and other beverages.

However, you’re not in Silverton to just eat and sleep. Take a wander around town on foot and you will soon discover a couple of art galleries, including a colourful corrugated tin shed just a stone’s throw from the pub that is the working studio of artist John Dynon. Slight in stature, John is a larger-than-life character who describes himself as Silverton’s unofficial mayor, sheriff and town drunk.

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Many of John’s paintings depict scenes in the nearby Mundi Mundi Plains and the Barrier Ranges, and it’s in these works that he so accurately captures the colours of the outback when he applies paint to canvas. This ex-miner is one of Australia’s most accomplished artists, and his works appear in collections throughout Australia and the world, including one example that hangs outside my own office door.

As well as landscapes, some of John’s works depict comical emus, and back in 2015 his ‘emu’ art was chosen to appear on 780,000 ‘XXXX’ cans, commissioned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of St Patrick’s Race Day in Broken Hill.

Head farther up Layard Street and turn left in to Loftus Street and you will find Justin Cowz Ghost Town Art Gallery, located in one of the town’s restored buildings that dates back to the 1880s. Justin says the inspiration for his eclectic artworks comes from his love of animations, nature and the Australian desert, and this can certainly be seen in many of the colours he uses.

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Head back towards Layard Street, hook a left and you will see the fabulous Mad Max Museum, which was set up in Silverton due to the fact that much of Mad Max 2 was filmed in the area, with the famous truck rollover scene at the end of the movie shot out on the Mundi Mundi plains.

Fans of the iconic Aussie movie franchise will be blown away by the collection of genuine and replica memorabilia in the museum, as well as the extensive collection of cars that were used in Mad Max 2, and the vast array of photos taken when the movie was shot here back in the early 1980s.

Just beyond the museum is Beyond 39 Dips studio, which is named after the undulating road to Silverton from Broken Hill. This studio specialises in original kiln-fired glassware, glass jewellery and handcrafted leather accessories. Some of the pieces are truly exquisite, and all are definitely unique.

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Those who aren’t too fond of walking might like the idea of taking a camel tour around Silverton. Outback Camel Tours is a family-run business that offers a range of camel rides from short 30-minute stints to overnight treks, as well as farm stays, and the company operates seven days a week. Bookings are essential.

Of course, it wasn’t the colours of the outback that attracted miners to Silverton in the 19th century, and for those who want to gain an understanding of how tough it was to work underground in the late-1800s, a Daydream Mine tour is an unforgettable experience.

The mine operates two tours a day and takes you deep underground to where the miners worked 12 hours a day, six days a week, tapping holes in to the walls of the mine with hammers and then firing them. Young boys would then hand pick and bag the ore after a firing. Sadly, many of the miners succumbed to respiratory diseases.

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Back on the surface, head a couple of kays out of town to the Mundi Mundi lookout for the expansive view over the Mundi Mundi plains. As with all the landscapes out here, the best time to visit is pre-dawn, to catch the changing light as the sun peeks over the horizon behind you, or just before sunset, to watch the colours change from burnt oranges to pinks and then purples.

Bring some warm clothing, as it can get very cold here once the sun has set, and there is no protection from the wind which can be quite strong at times, as evidenced by the growing number of wind turbines you may spot as you drive beside the Barrier Ranges.

No matter whether you continue north to Eldee or head back to Silverton, take care when driving at dawn, dusk and night, as there is plenty of native wildlife about, as well as feral animals and livestock. Fitment of a decent bullbar and good quality driving lights is strongly recommended when driving out here.

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If you feel the need for more activities when visiting, the area around Silverton and the Mundi Mundi plains has plenty of events taking place throughout the year, including the Mundi Mundi Bash music festival and the annual Eldee Easter Safari, both of which are family-friendly events.

The pub also regularly hosts live music. But if, like me, you’d prefer a bit of quiet so you can experience the beauty of the outback without interruption, there are plenty of times throughout the year when you’ll see little more in the main street of Silverton than a few wandering donkeys.

If you haven’t been to Silverton before, you really must get out there. If you have, you’ve probably already been back more than once.

Getting there

Broken Hill is a 1142km drive from Sydney, 837km from Melbourne, and a lazy 515km from Adelaide. Silverton is only 26km west of Broken Hill.

The sealed road from Broken Hill to Silverton is very undulating and the surface can be rough, depending on how much rain the area has copped and how often road crews have been able to do maintenance.

There is often a dry creek crossing as you come in to town, but with heavy rains this can occasionally flow with muddy water, in which case the road to Silverton will be closed. If unsure, check with local authorities before leaving Broken Hill.

Accommodation

Silverton Hotel: silvertonhotel.com.au; phone (08) 8088 5313
Penrose Park: penroseparksilverton.com; phone 0458 600 891
Eldee Station: eldeestation.com; phone (08) 8091 2578

Food

Silverton Bakery: silvertonbakery.com.au; phone 0429 912 578

Art

John Dynon Gallery: store.johndynon.com.au; phone 0429 060 413
Justin Cowz Ghost Town Art Gallery: justincowzghosttownartgallery.square.site
Beyond 39 Dips: beyond39dips.com.au; phone (08) 8088 7566

Activities

Mad Max Museum: facebook.com/MadMaxMuseum; phone (08) 8088 6128
Daydream Mine: daydreammine.com.au; phone 0427 885 682
Outback Camel Tours: silvertonoutbackcamels.com.au; phone 0428 602 664

5 things to see and do

MUNDI MUNDI LOOKOUT

Not far from Silverton, on top of the Barrier Ranges, is the Mundi Mundi Lookout. From here is an expansive view of the vast Mundi Mundi plains with amazing colourful sunrises and sunsets, and dust and thunder storms. The road down from the lookout was in a scene from the movie Mad Max 2.

MAD MAX MUSEUM

On Stirling Street, Silverton, the fabulous Mad Max Museum honours the dystopian movie franchise with a display of genuine and replica memorabilia, and an extensive collection of cars used in Mad Max 2 which was filmed in the area and out on the Mundi Mundi plains.

BUSH ART

Formerly a silver mining town, Silverton has long been renowned for its arts heritage, attracting filmmakers and painters to the surrounding outback desert and big sky landscapes. The town’s galleries include artists in residence, such as the John Dynon Gallery and Justin Cowz Ghost Town Art Gallery, both artists faithful to the colours and hues of the local area.

SILVERTON PUB

The Silverton Hotel itself has been in many movies going back a half century and is a typical outback pub packed with character, the walls adorned with hats, guitars and funny signs. Great for a cool drink and a feed, with quality self-contained unit accommodation available too.

DAYDREAM MINE

For those who want to gain an understanding of how tough it was to work underground in the late 1800s, a Daydream Mine tour is an unforgettable experience. The silver mine operates two tours a day and takes you deep underground to where the miners worked 12 hours a day, six days a week.