Palace Hotel, Broken Hill

Item details


Name of item:	Palace Hotel, Broken Hill
Other name/s:	Mario's Hotel, Marios
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Commercial
Category:	Hotel
Location:	Lat: -31.9598349972 Long: 141.4638041670
Primary address:	227 Argent Street, Broken Hill, NSW 2880
Parish:	Picton
County:	Yancowinna
Local govt. area:	Broken Hill
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Broken Hill

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	10	42	DP	759092

Boundary:

The entirety of Lot 10 section 42 DP759092, and the part of the road reserve beneath the verandah of the Palace Hotel

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
227 Argent Street	Broken Hill	Broken Hill	Picton	Yancowinna	Primary Address
Sulphide Street	Broken Hill	Broken Hill	Picton	Yancowinna	Alternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Argent Street Developments Pty Limited and Terramaya Pty Limited	Private

Statement of significance:


	The Palace Hotel is of State heritage significance for its historical, associative, aesthetic and community values. The item is an example of a large temperance coffee palace converted for use as a hotel in the late 19th century. It represents both the wealth and challenges of a rapidly increasing population in a remote mining community, and illustrates the difficulties faced by the temperance movement in sustaining this style of business in a remote, male dominated environment. The use and management of the Palace Hotel by the Returned Sailors and Soldiers' Imperial League from 1919 until 1946 is significant as the only known example of its type in NSW, and a unique form of servicemen's club and hostel in the years after World War I. The large hotel is a landmark for the city of Broken Hill, with the decorated internal spaces making the Palace Hotel one of the most recognisable hotel interiors in NSW. The ceiling painting by Mario Celotto and murals by Aboriginal artist Gordon Waye, elevated the Palace Hotel into a well-known destination for locals and tourists. The Palace Hotel is of social significance to the LGBTQIA+ community. The interior of the Palace Hotel, with its extensive murals, was a prominent filming location of the 1994 Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which introduced LGBTQIA+ themes to mainstream audiences in Australia and internationally. The Palace Hotel has been closely associated with the LGBTQIA+ community and Australian drag artistry since the film's release, providing a powerful symbol of diversity and tolerance in far west NSW and serving as a gathering place for LGBTQIA+ people.
	Date significance updated: 17 Sep 24
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	Alfred Dunn
Builder/Maker:	Hewitt & Smethurst
Construction years:	1889-1890
Physical description:	The Palace Hotel, Broken Hill is a three-storey building with underground saloon located on the corner of Argent and Sulphide Streets. It is externally intact and largely in original condition. The hotel's frontage is 21m along Argent Street and 53m along Sulphide Street. The ground floor contains several shops fronting onto Argent Street which are leased separately. The ground floor of the Palace Hotel contains a dining saloon, lavatories, serving hall, pantry, store room, servant's room, kitchen, scullery and courtyard. The first floor contains a sitting room, balcony, 27 bedrooms and lavatories. The second floor contains 37 bedrooms. The building also contains a basement floor/cellar with concrete slab and rendered stone walls. The design of the Palace Hotel specifically takes into consideration the nature of the hot dry climate in the location and size of the windows and the deep wrap around veranda. The hotel is constructed of brick and is reported to rest on log footings. The building has a hipped mansard iron roof with prominent turrets at either end of the Argent Street facade. The eaves are supported by paired brackets located under the gutter line. A parapet detail occurs at the western end of the building where the brick wall is higher than the gutter line. The major feature of the hotel is the fine two-storey cast iron balustraded verandah. This cast iron and timber structure was erected in 1890 and retains the elaborate cast iron frieze, balustrade elements, corner brackets and cast metal capitals to the iron posts. It was last painted approximately 30 years ago and now needs urgent repainting and attention. The timberwork to the verandah is in sound, but deteriorating condition, due to the paintwork having now decayed and timber being exposed to the weather. Each floor has cast iron posts, brackets and frieze and the balustrade to the upper floor is also cast iron with a timber handrail. The main entrance to the hotel is off Argent Street, and features a recessed entrance with semi-circular render banding. There are two timber shop fronts to Argent Street and the building is chamfered on the street corner with a large brick pillar supporting the upper walls at the corner. The brickwork at street level has all been painted white. Along the frontage to Sulphide Street there are panels of large glass windows with timber infill above and below between the brick pillars. The base ledge of the facade steps up to accommodate the street rising to the south. On the second floor, many of the original French doors remain along Sulphide Street. They are timber-framed and retain both their transom light with arched brickwork to the top lintel and timber screen doors. However, on Argent Street, many have either been filled in with red brick or converted to double-hung timber sash windows with timber infill below. New windows have been built in at various points along this facade. Internally, the cellar survives. Extensive changes were undertaken to the interior of the hotel during the 1980s. The ground level contains bars and dining rooms. The first and second floor rooms contain accommodation and vary in condition, many retaining the stencil work installed by Mario Celotto, with timber ply panelling and built in joinery. Six rooms have been upgraded by the current owners. Many of the interior walls are decorated with Gordon Waye's murals and painted panels. The foyer ceiling contains Mario Celotto's painting of the 'Birth of Venus'. The building is located diagonally opposite the civic group of buildings in Argent Street and the verandah becomes an important viewing point at times when the War Memorial is used for community celebrations such as the Anzac Day Memorial Service. The hotel is one of the finest commercial buildings in Broken Hill and furthermore, is one of a number of current and former hotels in Broken Hill which collectively make a significant contribution to the city's character. The Palace is a key feature in the Broken Hill streetscape and is a well-known landmark to residents and visitors alike. (Description taken substantially from CMP written in 2010 by McDougall and Vines).
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Mario Celotto and Gordon Waye's murals and painted panels remain largely intact and unaltered .
	Date condition updated:02 Sep 24
Modifications and dates:	The original hotel was constructed in 1889. The internal fabric has undergone a series of significant internal changes in c1919-1920, 1939, 1948 and the 1970s. The internal murals by Gordon Waye and Mario Celotto remain largely intact and unaltered.


Current use:	Pub
Former use:	Aboriginal land, Coffee Palace, Pub

History

Historical notes:

STATEMENT OF COUNTRY

The traditional name of Broken Hill is Willyama, though the exact origins and meaning of the name are not known. The Wilyakali (also Wiljakali) people are the traditional custodians of the Country around Broken Hill. The Wilyakali are part of the broader Barkindji (also Paakanty, Paarkantji) language group of rural and remote far west New South Wales (Austin, P., & Hercus, L, 2004). Prior to the arrival of colonists to the region in the mid-19th century, the Wilyakali people moved seasonally around Country, with occupation concentrated in areas with a permanent water supply. A convergence of cultural stories told around Broken Hill suggests that the area may have been a place of gathering and ceremony for the peoples of western New South Wales, the Flinders Ranges and southwest Queensland (Martin, S. 1998). The Wilyakali people continue to care for Country, maintaining their people's unbroken cultural connection to Broken Hill.

BROKEN HILL

Broken Hill, also known as the Silver City, contains a deposit of silver, lead and zinc ore which is considered to be among the world's largest (Geoscience Australia, 2024). The Silver City is one of the longest-running mining towns in the world having been mined continuously for over 130 years (DCCEEW, 2024). Broken Hill was inscribed on the National Heritage List in 2015 for its significant influence on the development of Australia as a modern and prosperous country (DCCEEW, 2024).

Broken Hill's enormous geological wealth was discovered by Charles Rasp, a boundary rider at the Mount Gipps sheep station, in September 1883. Rasp's astute observations of an unusual geological formation (now known as the Line of Lode) led to a group of seven men staking a claim on the area. After testing for tin, in January 1885 the 'Syndicate of Seven' found that the Line of Lode instead contained rich deposits of silver ore (A. Coulls, 1952). That year, five of the original seven registered the Broken Hill Propriety Company Ltd (now BHP Billiton) and commenced mining operations.

Following the discovery of silver ore, Broken Hill grew from a haphazard mining camp into a thriving town. By 1888, the population of Broken Hill was 11,000 people served by 47 hotels, 9 banks and 2 newspapers (Kearns, 1982). By 1915, Broken Hill was the third largest city in New South Wales with a population of 35,000 (Vines, 2010).

COFFEE PALACE

The Palace Hotel was originally built as a coffee palace in 1889. Coffee palaces were championed in the 19th century by the temperance movement, which advocated for social reform in relation to alcohol. The temperance movement recognised the popularity of hotels as public spaces and built coffee palaces to provide a viable, 'dry' alternative (Dee, 2014).

In 1888, the Broken Hill Coffee Palace Company acquired a site on the corner of Argent and Sulphide Streets and commissioned a design competition for their coffee palace (Appel, 2021). The winning design by Melbourne architect Alfred Dunn included 100 rooms to meet the high demand for accommodation in Broken Hill and a basement with billiard room and 50,000 gallon water tank for bathwater (Evening News, 1889). The building was constructed by Melbourne contractors Hewitt and Smethurst (Vines, 2010). With its prominent mansard roof and corner location, the Coffee Palace became a landmark in Broken Hill (McDougall and Vines, 2010).

Despite the lofty goals of the Broken Hill Coffee Palace Company, Broken Hill's workers continued to patronise the local hotels over the coffee palace. By 1892, the business was operating at a loss (Barrier Miner, 1892).

THE PALACE HOTEL

In June 1892, John Edward Ensoll applied for a liquor license for 'The Palace Hotel' (Barrier Miner, 1892). Renovations of the former coffee palace began the following month, with the basement converted to an underground saloon bar by January 1893 (Barrier Miner, 1893). The Palace Hotel became a centre of social life in Broken Hill.

The hotel had numerous owners and managers until the outbreak of the First World War including Emil Resch, a German immigrant and part-owner of one of the oldest established firms of brewers and cordial makers on the Barrier (Barrier Miner, 1898). The first Resch's brewery was established at Wilcannia in 1877 and operations expanded to Broken Hill by 1885.

RETURNED SOLDIERS HOSTEL

In September 1919, the Palace Hotel was purchased by the Mining Managers Association for 12,000 pounds and donated to the local sub-branch of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers' Imperial League (later RSL) for one pound per year (Barrier Miner, 1919). Extensive renovations were undertaken to convert the building into a 'Returned Soldiers Hostel', including the installation of electric lights, a septic tank, gymnasium and billiard room, a bowling green and the conversion of existing shopfronts into offices (McDougall and Vines, 2010). The RSL's use of a hotel to support returned service men and women appears to be unique in New South Wales, with other RSL branches preferring community halls or council facilities (Dunn, 2023). The 'Returned Soldiers Hostel' at the Palace Hotel was among the first of its kind in Australia and, as such, the building plays an important part in the history of the RSL movement in New South Wales.

In 1939, further internal alterations were undertaken. These alterations, designed by Mr E. Gardiner and carried out by contractor A.J. Blake, included three bars and a lounge, including a bar in one of the original shopfronts.

The hotel continued to serve the RSL until September 1946, when ownership was transferred to the South Australian Brewing Company (Barrier Miner, 1946). Over the next 30 years, the Palace Hotel exchanged hands several times (McDougall and Vines, 2010).

MARIO CELOTTO

In 1973, the Palace Hotel was bought by Italian immigrant miner Mario Celotto (McDougall and Vines, 2010). Celotto set about restoring the building which had fallen into disrepair.

The roof and ceiling required major works after a storm in 1980 (McDougall and Vines, 2010). Celotto saw an opportunity to revitalise the hotel interior by painting Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus' on the ceiling of the foyer, guided only by a postcard. The painting took 144 hours over six months to complete and was of great interest to patrons. In May 1980, Celotto offered a $1,000 cash prize to anyone who could match his mural (McDougall and Vines, 2010).

GORDON WAYE

Renowned Aboriginal mural artist Gordon Waye travelled from Port Augusta to accept Celotto's challenge. Born in South Australia, Waye was part of the Stolen Generation, taken from his family in accordance with the then government policy in 1950 (Mbantua, 2024).

Waye painted a copy of 'The Picnic' by Zabate on a wall in the Palace Hotel bar in just 8 hours. The result so impressed Celotto that he commissioned Waye to continue, resulting in almost 50 paintings and murals across the hotel that featured scenes of Country in the style reminiscent of Arrernte painter Albert Namatjira. Celotto's only instruction was that each painting had to include water to give patrons the sense of a desert oasis. Waye painted with speed and from his imagination, without sketching his ideas on the walls beforehand (ABC, 2021). The paintings produced by Waye have the effect of bringing Country into the built environment of the hotel. With its colourful murals and modern refurbishment, the hotel became known as 'Mario's Palace'.

Many of Waye's murals, painted in South Australia and New South Wales, have disappeared through demolition or redevelopment; however, his murals at the Palace Hotel have remained largely intact.

THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT

In 1993, Mario's Palace Hotel was chosen as a filming location for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Priscilla) because of its kitsch appeal (Appel, 2021). The film follows two drag artists and a transgender woman from Sydney on a road trip from Sydney to Alice Springs in a tour bus nicknamed 'Priscilla'.

A key scene shot at the Palace, where the main characters are initially denied a drink, was the first scene written into the film, having been inspired by a real event experienced by filmmaker Stephan Elliot (Between A Frock and a Hard Place, 2015). The main staircase, bar area and a bedroom were utilised in Priscilla, with Waye's murals forming a prominent backdrop for Elliot's script. Mario Celotto appeared as himself in the film, with locals acting as extras (Dunn, 2023).

While joyous in its depiction of drag, Priscilla also showcased the homophobia, transphobia and violence faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in rural Australia (Dunn, 2023). Following a night of seeming acceptance at the Palace Hotel, homophobic graffiti is scrawled onto the bus in Broken Hill. Drag queen Felicia covers the slurs with lavender paint. Lavender became synonymous with LGBTQIA+ resistance following the 'Lavender Scare' in the United States, where LGBTQIA+ civil servants were persecuted under President Eisenhower's 1953 government policy (Johnson, 2004).

Priscilla became an international cult classic. The film is renowned for introducing LGBTQIA+ themes to a mainstream audience and positively and irrevocably changing how LGBTQIA+ people were perceived in both Australia and the world at large. Screen Australia, the Australia government's key film industry funding body, stated that Priscilla has had the most remarkable cultural impact of any local film released between 1993-1997 (Screen Australia, 2012).

The Palace Hotel promotes itself as the spiritual home of Priscilla and a safe place for LGBTQIA+ people to gather, perform and celebrate drag artistry in remote New South Wales. The hotel hosted the annual Broken Heel Festival (2015-2024), a multi-day tribute to Priscilla that features 'drag and diva' performances and a street parade. The first festival, held in 2015, included exhibitions and Broken Hill's first rapid HIV testing clinic (Dunn, 2023). The festival has enjoyed a large attendance of visitors from Australia and across the world, with 6,500 people visiting the Broken Heel Festival in 2018. Many festivalgoers opt to travel to Broken Hill via the NSW TrainLink XPLORER service known as 'The Silver City Stiletto', featuring live drag performances. The Broken Heel Festival is important as a popular, well-attended regional LGBTQIA+ event which promotes diversity, acceptance and tolerance (Davison, 2024).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Migration-Activities and processes associated with the resettling of people from one place to another (international, interstate, intrastate) and the impacts of such movements	Settling in rural and remote areas-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Developing local, regional and national economies-National Theme 3
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Building settlements, towns and cities-National Theme 4
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Interior design styles and periods - 20th century post WW2-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Architectural styles and periods - Victorian (late)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The Palace Hotel is of historical significance as an example of a large temperance coffee palace built in the late 19th century as a 'dry' alternative to hotels for the mining community of Broken Hill. The Palace's conversion to a licensed venue demonstrates the difficulty of maintaining a 'dry' enterprise in a remote male dominated working class community. The hotel was managed from 1919 to 1946 by the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League as a hostel for returned soldiers, the only known example of this type of use in NSW. The Palace Hotel is of State significance in the course of NSW's cultural history as the setting of part of the landmark 1994 film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which featured the interior of the Palace Hotel as one of the pivotal destinations and storylines for the movie. The interiors of the Palace Hotel, recognisable from the film, are a prominent tourist destination in far west NSW.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	The Palace Hotel is of State significance for its association with the LGBTQIA+ community of NSW. The Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, in which the Palace Hotel was a key filming location, represented a monumental shift in cinema of the representation of gay and transgender people in Australia. The Palace Hotel has been closely associated with the LGBTQIA+ community and Australian drag artistry since the film's release and is regarded as a symbolic gathering place for LGBTQIA+ people in far west NSW.The Broken Heel Festival, set at the hotel, celebrated and reinforced the site's association with the LGBTQIA+ community from 2015-2024. The Palace Hotel is also of State significance for its association with the temperance movement, which commissioned the construction of the building in 1889 as a coffee palace. The coffee palace was ultimately unsuccessful without a liquor licence, which was acquired in 1892. The hotel is associated with the emerging Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League (RSL) movement following the World War I, as the only known example of a hotel used as a hostel for returned soldiers between 1919-1946. The Palace Hotel has a strong association with Mario Celotto, owner between c1974 and 2004. Celotto arrived in Broken Hill with his brothers after immigrating from Italy, purchasing the hotel after working in the local mining industry. Celotto's mural of Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus', and the other interior murals and panels by commissioned by Celotto from Aboriginal artist Gordon Waye, are unique in NSW. The murals were a prominent backdrop to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which made the Palace Hotel a well-known destination. The hotel is also associated with immigrant families such as the Resch family who owned the hotel for a period and contributed to its ongoing success.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The Palace Hotel is of State significance for its aesthetic values. The building makes a landmark contribution to the streetscape and reflects the historic mining wealth of the region. The opulence and confidence of the building style, despite its remote location in far west New South Wales, reflects the early economic and social buoyancy of successful mining communities like Broken Hill. The decorated interior, particularly the murals by Mario Celotto and Gordon Waye, make the Palace Hotel one of the most recognisable hotel interiors in the state.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The Palace Hotel, as a building strongly associated with The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, holds social value for its connection to the LGBTQIA+ community. Alongside its status as a key filming location for pivotal scenes in the film, the Palace has also become a gathering place for LGBTQIA+ people to celebrate and perform in NSW' far west. The strength of this contemporary connection is demonstrated by the Palace Hotel's hosting of the annual Broken Heel Festival (2015-2024), started to celebrate the film's 21st birthday, which was attended by over 6,500 people in 2018. As an architecturally distinct early commercial building, disseminated worldwide in popular culture by The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, the Palace Hotel is highly regarded as a landmark building of NSW's far west.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Produce a Conservation Management Plan (CMP)
Recommended Management	Prepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Heritage Act - Site Specific Exemptions	Exemption Order for Palace Hotel, Broken Hill (SHR No. 00335) listing amendment under the Heritage Act 1977 I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales dated 30 September 2024, make the following order under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977 (the Act) granting an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out of any activities described in Schedule C by the owner, manager, mortgagee or lessee (or persons authorised by the owner or manager) of the item described in Schedule A on the land identified in Schedule B. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 5 day of November 2024. The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage SCHEDULE A The item known as the Palace Hotel, Broken Hill situated on the land described in Schedule B. SCHEDULE B The item known as the Palace Hotel, Broken Hill, SHR No. 00335, located as identified on the plan catalogued HC Plan 810 in the office of the Heritage Council of New South Wales. SCHEDULE C The following specified activities/ works to an item do not require approval under section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977. GENERAL CONDITIONS These general conditions apply to the use of all the site specific exemptions and must be complied with: I. If a conservation management plan (CMP) is prepared for the item, it must meet the following conditions: a. It must be prepared by a suitably qualified and experienced heritage professional. b. It must be prepared in accordance with the requirements for a detailed and best practice CMP as outlined in the Heritage Council of NSW document Statement of best practice for conservation management plans (2021). c. It must be consistent with the Heritage Council of NSW documents: Guidance on developing a conservation management plan (2021) and Conservation Management Plan checklist (2021). II. Works undertaken under these exemptions must be carried out by people with knowledge, skills and experience appropriate to the work (some site specific exemptions require suitably qualified and experienced professional advice/work). III. These exemptions do not permit the removal of relics or Aboriginal objects. If relics are discovered, work must cease in the affected area and the Heritage Council of NSW must be notified in writing in accordance with section 146 of the Heritage Act 1977. Depending on the nature of the discovery, assessment and an excavation permit may be required prior to the recommencement of work in the affected area. If any Aboriginal objects are discovered, excavation or disturbance is to cease, and Heritage NSW notified in accordance with section 89A of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. Aboriginal object has the same meaning as in the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. IV. Activities/works that do not fit strictly within the exemptions described below require approval by way of an application under section 60 of the Heritage Act 1977. V. The site specific exemptions are self-assessed. It is the responsibility of a proponent to ensure that the proposed activities/works fall within the site specific exemptions. VI. The proponent is responsible for ensuring that any activities/ works undertaken by them meet all the required conditions and have all necessary approvals. VII. Proponents must keep records of any activities/ works for auditing and compliance purposes by the Heritage Council of NSW. Where advice of a suitably qualified and experienced professional has been sought, a record of that advice must be kept.Records must be kept in a current readable electronic file or hard copy for a reasonable time. VIII. It is an offence to do any of the things listed in section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 without a valid exemption or approval. IX. Authorised persons under the Heritage Act 1977 may carry out inspections for compliance. X. The site specific exemptions under the Heritage Act 1977 are not authorisations, approvals, or exemptions for the activities/ works under any other legislation, Local Government and State Government requirements (including, but not limited to, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974). XI. These exemptions under the Heritage Act 1977 do not constitute satisfaction of the relevant provisions of the National Construction Code for ancillary works. XII. Activities or work undertaken pursuant to an exemption must not, if it relates to an existing building, cause the building to contravene the National Construction Code. XIII. In these exemptions, words have the same meaning as in the Heritage Act 1977 or the relevant guidelines, unless otherwise indicated. Where there is an inconsistency between relevant guidelines and these exemptions, these exemptions prevail to the extent of the inconsistency. Where there is an inconsistency between either relevant guidelines or these exemptions and the Heritage Act 1977, the Act will prevail. XIV. The Heritage Manual (1996, Heritage Office and Department of Urban Affairs & Planning) and The Maintenance Series (1996 republished 2004, NSW Heritage Office and Department of Urban Affairs & Planning) guidelines must be complied with when undertaking any activities/ works on an item. XV. Works undertaken under the exemptions must not adversely impact the heritage significance of the item. This is defined as works which do not damage or despoil fabric which contributes to the item's significance. EXEMPTION 1: EXISTING APPROVED DEVELOPMENT Specified activities/ works: (a) All works and activities in accordance with a current and valid development consent in force at the date of gazettal for listing amendment on the State Heritage Register. EXEMPTION 2: ROAD RESERVE (PEDESTRIAN FOOTPATH) Specified activities/ works: (a) All works and activities associated with the maintenance of the road reserve and pedestrian footpath located beneath the verandah at Argent and Sulphide Streets, including maintenance or replacement of pavers; installation, maintenance and repair of pedestrian signage and plaques; maintenance and repair of the pedestrian footpath; and maintenance and repair of the public roadway; (b) Installation, repair or replacement of waste bins and furniture (including street and outdoor dining) on the pedestrian footpath. (c) Temporary works, not exceeding 12 months, including containment areas, deck support or inspection systems, scaffolding and enclosures necessary for the carrying out of maintenance, enhancement or upgrading works. (d) Temporary works, not exceeding 3 months, including marquees/tents, performance stages, staging equipment or 'pop up' special events. (e) Excavation or disturbance of the pedestrian footpath to install, maintain, repair or replace underground utility services where no existing service trench is present. Excavation must not compromise the structural integrity of the item, including the existing verandah posts. Excavation must not be in areas identified as having archaeological potential or disturb or remove any relics. (f) Activities associated with the operations of the cellar, back-of-house kitchen and loading dock, including deliveries, maintenance, repair and any associated temporary structures. EXEMPTION 3: FILMING Specified activities/ works: (a) Activities associated with the use of the Palace Hotel as a set or backdrop for filming, not exceeding 300 calendar days within a calendar year. Activities/ works must be temporary, reversible, and must have no physical impact to significant fabric, landscape elements and/or archaeological relics.	Nov 8 2024
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register	curtilage revision	00335	08 Nov 24	276
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		00335	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former		00335	09 Nov 84	157	5466
Local Environmental Plan			28 Feb 97

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written		2024	National Heritage Places - City of Broken Hill	View detail
Written		1898	The New Broken Hill	View detail
Written
Written	Adelaide Observer	1889	Broken Hill
Written	Appel, G	2021	Broken Hill's Palace Hotel has welcomed gamblers, miners and drags queens throughout its long history	View detail
Tourism	Attraction homepage	2013	The Palace Hotel	View detail
Written	Austin, P., & Hercus, L.	2004	The Yarli languages
Written	Barrier Miner	1946	Palace Hotel Changes Hands From Sunday	View detail
Written	Barrier Miner	1946	Alterations for Palace Hotel	View detail
Written	Barrier Miner	1919	Palace Hotel Building Purchased for Soldiers	View detail
Written	Barrier Miner	1892	Advertising	View detail
Written	Barrier Miner	1892	Advertising	View detail
Written	Barrier Miner (Broken Hill)	1892	Coffee Palace	View detail
Written	Brown, O. and Schmidt, A.	2023	Calls to grow support for Broken Heel Festival after another fabulous year in the Silver City	View detail
Written	Coulls, A.	1952	Charles Rasp: Founder of Broken Hill
Written	Davison, Sarah	2024	Broken Heel is celebrating 30 years of 'Priscilla'	View detail
Written	Dee, P.	2014	Temperance and Melbourne's grand Coffee Palaces, from State Library Victoria Blog	View detail
Written	Dee, P.	2014	Temperance and Melbourne’s grand coffee palaces	View detail
Written	Dekle, C.	2021	Revisiting The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’s influence	View detail
Tourism	Destination NSW		The Palace Hotel, Broken Hill	View detail
Written	Eklund, Prof. Erik	2013	When our cultural heritage goes up in smoke	View detail
Written	Geoscience Australia	2024	Broken Hill: one of the world's largest lead-zinc-silver deposits	View detail
Written	Johnson, D.K.	2004	The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government.
Written	Kearns, R.H.B.	1982	Broken Hill: A Pictorial History
Written	Martin, S.	1998	The Pinnacles Archaeological Survey, Broken Hill NSW
Written	Mbantua		Gordon Waye	View detail
Written	Screen Australia	2012	Staying power: the enduring footprint of Australian film
Written	Spearitt, Peter	2018	'Where History Happened'
Written	The Palace Hotel, Broken Hill	2024	The History of the Palace Hotel Broken Hill	View detail
Written	Turtle, M	2020	Broken Hill's finest galleries, eatiers and most importantly, breath-taking outback landscapes	View detail
Written	Vines, E.	2010	Broken Hill: A Guide to the Silver City.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5045723
File number:	S90/06005 & HC 32293,EF14/4487

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