Critical Written Analysis of Public Space: Broken Hill

Name: Mark Assad
University: Western Sydney University
Course: Bachelor of Planning
Lecturer: Dr. Awais Piracha

Date 17/12/15

Critical Written Analysis of Public Space: Broken Hill
Associations, Local Traditions, and Cultural Diversity
Broken Hill is a metropolis located in the New South Wales Province of Australia. The city has been
included in the list of Australian National Heritage spots because of its outstanding legacy that
is significant to the country’s history (Department of Environment, 2015). The city of Broken Hill
is historically associated mainly with mining activities, where lead, silver and zinc were produced
in abundance. Other important elements of the metropolis relate to its thriving artworks and
museums, in addition to the outback adventures undertaken in its mines (Uden, 2005). The locals
embrace their cultural differences and live in harmony, hence creating a sense of togetherness.
Topography of the Area
The aboriginal people of the region take it as their responsibility to protect their physical
environment, co-exist harmoniously, and ensure environmental sustainability in the region.
According to the Australian Heritage Council, (2015), the typographical characteristics of Broken
Hills are unique, especially the Broken Hill Complex. The western parts of the region are made up
of ancient rocks that are found in the basements rocks of the Fold Belt. The eastern sides are made
up of much younger rocks of the Tasman Fold Belt. The city has triangular shaped barrier ranges
that rise to 300 meters. The historical elements are laid in traditional rectangular street
patterns. The complex networks of roads are used as the boundaries between sections and the choice
of the structural design and size of its buildings largely depended on the available space as shown
in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Broken Hill Topography (Source: http://www.travelling-
australia.info/Journal2012/25Jul.html)
There are vast open land spaces within the region, which is made of beautiful landscapes, such as
the Mundi Mundi landscapes, plain lands, deep gorges, and sleep-sloping escarpments as shown below
in Figure 2. The region also has more than 2,000 mineral locations, for example, the Broken Hill
Main Lode (Australian Heritage Council, 2015).

Figure 2: Landscapes in Broken Hill (Source:
http://atlas.nsw.gov.au/public/nsw/home/topic/article/geology.html)
The Archeological Significance and Potential of the Area
The major focus of this community is mining, which became the major economic activity in the
region. According to Commonwealth of Australia (2014), Broken Hill is popular for it mining
activities, particularly zinc, lead, and silver. The Broken Hill Proprietary was established in
this area specifically for industrial mining activities. Mining activities are very significant to
this area. This is because it has a great potential of turning Broken Hill into a major economic
powerhouse in Australia. The mining activities that began back in the 1880s made Broken Hill one of
the significant cities in Australia (Commonwealth of Australia, 2014). Some of the mining sites
like the one shown in Figure 3 below have become major tourist attraction sites in this area.

Figure 3: A mining Site in Broken Hill (source: http://smithsdownunder.org.uk/ocean-to-ocean-
2013/7-brisbane-to-broken-hill)

Besides mining, the aboriginal dwellers of Broken Hill were pastoralists but engaged in fishing as
well. Although the aborigines still regard primary produce (fishing) as an integral part of their
culture, they have not abandoned their pastoralist life, which is also a tangible and intangible
part of their heritage.
Architecture and Coherence of Buildings
Some of the major historical buildings that are still found in the Broken Hill today were built
before the First World War. The majority of the buildings in this region are similar in structure
and design. According to MacMahon, (2001), they were constructed using similar raw materials of
galvanized corrugated iron. The finishing of the roofs is such that they are horizontally oriented,
and their edges have a sharp finishing pointed to the skies. Some of the buildings have domes
resembling those of mosques. Their walls are made up of pillars with arches that are horseshoe in
shape. Hence, the houses are of high-quality and durable. This design vocabulary is believed to
have originated from those of Mesopotamian architects. Some of the buildings constructed in this
architectural design include the Broken Hill Town Hall and the Palace Hotel (Kleiner, 2012). An
example of the aesthetic architectural designs, which significantly contribute to the tourist
attraction sites in the area, is the Broken Hill town hall shown below in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Broken Hill Town Hall (Source: http://www.brokenhillaustralia.com.au/about-broken-hill/)
Character and Townscape Quality
The character of the Broken Hill is complex, and the quality of the streetscape is poor (Office of
Environment Heritage, 2015). This is mainly due to the presence of rough roads and congested
buildings that make street navigation difficult. Despite the presence of networks of roads, most of
the members of the community are pedestrians, and they walk on semi-permanent footpaths as they
undertake their daily routines (Nelessen, 1994). The main business street and shopping is straight
and flat and is composed of many buildings erected using different architectural designs and
streetscapes (McGlynn, Smith and Alcock, 1985). There is a variation in the design and size of
buildings; for example, most of the buildings are two-storied, but a few of them are three- to
four-storey structures.
Prevalent Historical Building Materials
To ensure variation and maintenance, buildings in this region are constructed in different
architectural designs using materials, such as corrugated iron, bricks, lead, and zinc (Nelessen,
1994). Since the town of Broken Hill was formed as a result of mining activities, some of the
minerals that were produced in the area were used to build its houses. Bricks were used in the
construction of the walls of the major buildings in the region. Consequently, MacMahon (2001)
argues the lead materials were used to reinforce the walls of the buildings, and corrugated iron
was used on roofs.
Contribution to the Characters of the Area by Green Spaces, Trees, Hedges and Other Cultivated
Elements
The flora and fauna of Broken Hill considerably impact its ecological responsibility (Nelessen,
1994). Some regions of Broken Hill have birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals (Atlas of New
South Australia, 2015). The presence of these species of animals and various plants effectively
completes the town’s ecosystem. Back and Clift (2015) states that the natural green spaces, trees,
and rivers make the region suitable for agricultural activities. The presence of fertile lands in
the Alpine areas encourages farming activities; hence, the place is regarded as a major
agricultural region in the country.

Figure 5: Alpine Areas in Broken Hill (source:
http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2015/05/29/4245054.htm)
The Area’s Prevailing (Or Former) Uses, Plan Forms and Building Types
The land of Broken Hill was used for mixed purposes, for example, mining and agricultural
activities, where the aboriginal population undertook farming activities and kept livestock.
However, the City of Broken Hill became popular due to the mining activities that started in the
late nineteenth century when BHP mining company was founded. Therefore, this region acted as a
mining hub for the country. At the time of its establishment, the BHP was the largest mining site
in Australia as it produced tons of lead, zinc, and silver (Office of Environment Heritage, 2015).
Currently, the place is used as a tourist attraction site, attracting both the domestic and foreign
tourist segments. It has an Art Centre and strong a community focus, where many skilled artists
display their artifacts. Besides, the large holes that were dug during mining activities have now
become tourist sites. Notwithstanding this, the city has also both traditional and modern
buildings. The traditional buildings that were built in the nineteenth century are mainly
rectangular in shape while the modern buildings are built using modern architectural designs, for
example, the new town hall.
Relationship of the Built Environment to Landscape
The houses were built in rectangular shapes, and pillars of walls were designed with arches that
are horseshoe in shape; conversely, the roofs were done using corrugated iron. According to Casey
(2013), houses were initially constructed far away from mining sites for safety purposes. The
aboriginal people of the region built their houses close to the islands, escarpments, and the
fertile plain lands because these areas encouraged agricultural activities. They also built their
homes close to the water bodies because of their involvement in fishing activities. Since the area
has now become a tourist attraction site in the country, hotels have been constructed close to
attraction elements, such as the Mundi Mundi landscapes.

Features That Have Been Lost
Since the nineteenth century until 2015 when Broken Hill was included in the list of Australian
heritage sites, there are a lot of changes that have taken place in the region. The changes are
concerned with the cultural practices of the aboriginal people of the region. Cultural practices,
such as pastoralist practices and fishing activities, have faded away, and the people have adopted
new economic activities, such as tourism. The buildings have also lost their traditional
rectangular shapes as numerous modern buildings have been built using modern architectural designs
to facilitate short-term and long-term maintenance and security (Transport Local Government
Regions, 2000).
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