Broken Hill Area

Live the legend

No other NSW outback town is quite as legendary as Broken Hill, about as far west as you can go before hitting the South Australian border. Ever since the lead, zinc and silver of subterranean Broken Hill were discovered, the town has experienced booms and busts, etching a fascinating story marked by iconic names like BHP, Pro Hart, Priscilla. Little wonder it was the first Australian city to make the National Heritage List.

Sculptures & stargazing

Visit the Living Desert Sculptures, a stunning collection of 12 giant sandstone sculptures 9km north of Broken Hill in the Living Desert State Park. Created by 12 international artists as homage to the magnificent desert landscape, the sandstone changes colour with the light, glowing vividly at sunset.

Living Desert Sculptures in Broken Hill

Discover rich Aboriginal history in breathtaking Mutawintji National Park. Explore the Bynguano Range bush walking track, camp under the desert night sky and take a guided tour of ancient Aboriginal rock art at the Mutawintji Historic Site.

Mutawintji National Park - Aboriginal rock art

Tour guide Keanu Bates showing visitors Aboriginal rock art in the Mutawintji National Park

The night sky just outside of Broken Hill is perfect for stargazing. Outback Astronomy will take you on a tour through the Milky Way - sign up for a Sky Show and explore the mysteries of our Universe as you view stars and constellations, and learn about dark energy, asteroids and lunar secrets.

Couple star gazing beneath the Milky Way at Outback Astronomy, Broken Hill

Outback Astonomy, Broken Hill

Movie sets & Outback pubs

Drop in to The Original Silverton Hotel – the filming location for a number of popular movies including Razorback, Mission Impossible II and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Movie buffs can also explore the Mad Max Museum, Australia's first and only museum dedicated to Mad Max 2.

Mad Max Car, Silverton

A few kilometres north of Silverton, the view from the Mundi Mundi Plains lookout makes you feel like you’re on the edge of the world. The hill drops away and the vast plain at your feet seems to stretch away to eternity over a sun-scorched desert.

Stop by the Packsaddle Roadhouse, a classic outback pub full of charm and character, located 175km north of Broken Hill on the Silver City Highway. Admire the collection of hats, saddles and miscellaneous equipment and meet some of the cast of regulars.

Couple enjoying the sunset from The Living Desert Reserve in Broken Hill, Outback

The Living Desert Reserve, Broken Hill

Getting there

Broken Hill is 1,150km west of Sydney. By road, the journey takes 13 hours. You can also fly into Broken Hill Airport and hire a car. The Outback Explorer train travels from Sydney to Broken Hill on Mondays and makes the return journey on Tuesdays. The trip takes 13.5 hours. There is a daily XPT train service to Dubbo and a connecting coach to Broken Hill, with the whole journey taking 16 hours.

A NSW TrainLink coach service connects Broken Hill with Mildura in Victoria and Adelaide in South Australia. The Mildura service runs four times a week and takes just over four hours. The Adelaide service runs twice a week and takes around 6hr 45 min. The comfortable, state-of-the-art coaches have air conditioning, toilet facilities and disabled access.

Fly into Broken Hill Airport

Broken Hill Airport is located 6km from Broken Hill’s town centre. Make the short trip north using taxi services at the terminal. Alternatively, rent a car from the hire services available at the airport and explore the region at your own pace.

Regional Express flies from Broken Hill to Sydney, Dubbo, Adelaide, Griffith and Mildura. For other major Australian cities, connect via these destinations to reach the Outback capital.