Mining has claimed more than 800 lives over the years at Broken Hill, and the dramatic Line of Lode Miner’s Memorial and Visitors Centre, overlooking the city, is a poignant monument to them all.
The Line of Lode is one of the world’s largest bodies of ore, containing the silver, lead and zinc that made fortunes in this remote outback city.
The striking architecturally designed memorial, which was opened in 2001, has the name of each miner who perished etched into freestanding glass panels within the high, rust-red steel walls.
Passing through the monument is sobering: spend a while reflecting on the human tragedy that encompasses a key part of the city’s mining history.
There are also spectacular views from the summit of the gigantic hill or mullock on which the memorial is built (in essence a 30m-high pile of mining waste material). The views are particularly spectacular at night.
The visitors centre includes a cafe and gift shop.
