Indian Pacific - Adelaide to Broken Hill

 18th May 2021

Somewhere in the middle of the night we passed out of the Nullarbor Plain into more familiar territory of Port Augusta.    This is the point where The Ghan and the Indian Pacific meet to continue their journeys into Adelaide.

The black line is our 780km route from Cook to Port Augusta - The Blue is the road trip we did back in 2012 when the closest we got to the Nullarbor was Streaky Bay. The Inland patches of Blue are all Salt lakes. 

Our next stop is Adelaide - Rolling in to the Parklands Station at 7:30am and then spending the first hour of a 2 hour stopover waiting while the Police pulled every traveller from VICTORIA aside to check if we had been to a COVID hotspot.

Our travellers from Mildura were not impressed! - (For International readers - Mildura is in the top Northwest of the State and a 543 km drive from the closest COVID hotspot in Melbourne.)

We have spent some time over various trips in Adelaide so the choice of Off-Train excursions left us wondering "What haven't we seen?"

A Bus tour of the City culminating in Breakfast at the Adelaide Oval (Cricket) was DH's choice.

It wasn't nearly enough time to enjoy the Sights or the Breakfast before we were bustled back to the Train. 

Stopping briefly at the Station for souvenirs and some much needed *Antihistamines.

We were now behind schedule -

With the Engine having been moved to the other end of the Train, We return back up the track to Port Pirie, where we divert towards the NSW Border and Broken Hill.

Settling back into the routine of "Life on board a Long distance Train" we watched the scenery change from Urban to Outback over the course of the day.



The Sun set early and it was dusk by the time we arrived in Broken Hill at 6:00pm.

Broken Hill has one of the World's largest Lead-Zinc-Silver deposits and mines other Minerals as well.

The town has also embraced the popularity gained when it was used as a Location for the Movie "Pricilla Queen of the Desert".

At this point I'd like to share a close up of the previous photo.

The Lady with the walking frame joined us in Adelaide.
She is 86 and was such a Character! Proving you are never too old to Travel.

Always dressed to the Nines with jewellery, hair and makeup impeccably done and NEVER without her Six inch Heels!

Tonight she was off to see the Drag Show! 

We opted for the Tour of the City and a Visit to the Art Gallery. 

Housed in the historic (1885) Sully's Emporium Building, the building itself was a joy to visit

Opened in 1904 it is the Oldest Regional Art Gallery in NSW. 

It is well worth visiting or browsing through their Website to see the wealth of Artwork that is in their Collection.

Time to head back while listening to Silly Stories and Tales of Yester-year from our Very Informative Bus driver.

There was so much to Broken Hill that we didn't see - so much to consider coming back and spending more time here ... One Day!

* * * * *

* I spent a good time of the trip explaining to people that I have a Perfume Allergy and the scent of hand sanitiser on board affected it badly - I am sure that everyone thought I had Covid....