Silverton is a village at the far west of New South Wales, Australia, north-west of Broken Hill. At the , Silverton had a population of 48.

Silverton sprang up after the discovery of rich silver deposits, although it was soon eclipsed by an even richer silver-lead-zinc ore body at nearby Broken Hill. It is often referred to as a ghost town; however, there remains a small permanent population and a few businesses, mainly related to tourism. Their presence was probably only intermittent due to lack of permanent water sources. As in much of Australia, a combination of disease and pressure from European settlement drove them from their lands.

The first European to visit the area was the then-Surveyor General of New South Wales, Major Thomas Mitchell, in 1841. Three years later, the explorer Charles Sturt saw and named the Barrier Range while searching for an inland sea; the range was so named as it was a barrier to his progress north. Burke and Wills passed through the area in their famous 1860–61 expedition, setting up a base camp at nearby Menindee. Pastoralists first began settling the area in the 1850s, with the main trade route to the area along the Darling River. Among his many other duties was Acting Clerk of Petty Sessions, Mining Registrar and Warden's Clerk.

In October 1886, the Silverton Municipal Council was formed. It held its inaugural meeting in January 1887 in the Silverton Municipal Chambers, which still exist. The town's population quickly increased reaching a peak of about 3000 in the 1890s as a result of mineral discoveries. To convey the ore concentrates more efficiently than by animal haulage, a company opened a railway line called the Silverton Tramway in 1888 to connect the town to the South Australian border, where South Australian government trains took the ore to Port Pirie for smelting.

Rapid depletion of the high-grade ore around Silverton, along with the discovery of an even richer silver-lead-zinc ore body in nearby Broken Hill led to a sudden decline in Silverton's population. Many people departing took their homes with them since they were of simple iron and canvas construction.

20th century

By 1901, the town and immediate area was home to less than 300 people. Nevertheless it remained popular as a venue for recreational outings by Broken Hill residents. In 1915, the Battle of Broken Hill took place when a New Year's Day picnic train from Broken Hill to Silverton was attacked by two armed men, one from Afghanistan and the other from modern-day Pakistan.

After decades of use as a picnic ground, Penrose Park remained relatively neglected until the mid-1930s, when Broken Hill mining companies decided it was an admirable recreation site for their employees. Money was spent on upgrading sporting facilities, playgrounds and parklands, such that throughout the 1940s and 50s it became a major recreational facility. Huge annual picnics and fairs were held there by social and sporting clubs, and by mining companies. For example, it was reported that the eighth annual Zinc Mine employees' picnic in 1941 attracted one fifth of the entire town of Broken Hill. Convoys of family cars between Broken Hill and Penrose Park were so frequent that it became one of the first sealed roads outside Broken Hill. By the mid-1960s, interest began to wane, as did support from the mining companies, and the park fell into slow decline. The park, renamed as Penrose Park Recreation Reserve, now has camping facilities. During the annual Mundi Mundi Bash each August, the campground fills up with people attending the music festival at Belmont Station.

Demographics

In the 2021 Australian census, Silverton's population was 51.9% male and 48.1% female, with a median age of 58. It had a total of 12 families in 35 private dwellings with a median household income of $1375 per week.

Present day

thumb|250px|The John Dynon Gallery

thumb|250px|[[Mad Max 2 Museum]]

Silverton today is inhabited by a permanent population of only about 50 people, but its history and location make it a relatively popular tourist destination.

Most of the original buildings have now vanished or lie in ruins, but there are some interesting buildings that remain, including the Silverton Hotel and the former Silverton Gaol. By 2007, Silverton had been the scene for more than 140 films and commercials thanks to the clear light, the character-filled colonial buildings and the scenic desert surrounds. which has 402 identified grave sites in an area of .

See also

  • Silverton Wind Farm

References

Notes

  • Silverton Village Committee Community website