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© the National Archives of Australia

As the most remote regional centre in New South Wales, Broken Hill is renowned for its harsh arid red desert landscape and was often referred to as 'the land at the sunset' of New South Wales. As a city built on the world's largest silver, zinc and lead mine in 1883, mining remains the primary industry in Broken Hill. Broken Hill Propriety Limited, or BHP, set up a mine here in 1885 and went on to become the largest mining company in Australia.

The extremes of the landscape which are so different to that of eastern New South Wales have seen Broken Hill become a favoured stop for artists over the years. Broken Hill now hosts a Desert Sculpture Park, which augments the living desert landscape with grand sandstone sculptures by various Australian artists. It's unique desert climate is home to several species of flora and fauna which cannot be found in any other areas of New South Wales.