| Historical notes: | Wiljakali (Wilyagali) land
There were some fifteen groups of Aboriginal people traditionally living in the huge area bisected by the Darling River in the western plains of NSW. The principal group around Broken Hill was the Wiljakali. Their occupation of the area is thought to have been intermittent due to the scarcity of water. The same scarcity of water made the area unattractive for European occupiers and traditional Aboriginal ways of life continued longer there than in many other parts of NSW, into the 1870s. As Aboriginal people were increasingly deprived of the full range of their traditional options, they were obliged to come into stations or missions in times of drought to avoid starvation. By the 1880s many Aboriginal people were working on stations or within the mining industry. Some people ended up living in reservations created under the Aborigines' Protection Act of 1909. The influenza epidemic of 1919 had a further significant impact upon the indigenous population (HO, 1996, 192-193) as did the twentieth century federal government policy of removing Aboriginal children from their families.
The Wiljakali people who occupied the area when Charles Sturt arrived in 1845 (and first referred to it as 'broken hill') faced less immediate settler agression than tribal groups who lived on the rivers, including the Darling (Spearitt, 2018, 73).
In 1883, when boundary rider Charles Rasp formed a small syndicate to mine a great ironstone outcrop in the far west of NSW, they thought they would find tin. Instead, they ended up having leases over some of the world's richest silver, lead and zinc deposits. Unlike gold, these metals were not simply there for the taking. BHP (Broken Hill Proprietory Ltd.), formed in 1885, faced technical and logistical challenges in mining and processing ore bodies (ibid, 2018, 73).
Broken Hill grew quickly. A population of 17,000 in 1889 had more than doubled to 35,000 in 1914, putting it on the map as the then third-largest city in NSW. In today's terms, it could be described as Australia's most multicultural city of the time (ibid, 2018, 73).
Trade Unions quickly formed around the mine and extraction processing industries. The Trades Hall, built between 1891 and 1905, became the first building in Australia owned by unions, who also purchased the local newspaper 'The Barrier Times' in 1908. This strong union tradition permeated all aspects of life in Broken Hill. The city's unionists won a 35-hour week in 1920, the first to do so in Australia (ibid, 2018, 74).
The city is full of surprises, including a mosque, founded by Afghan cameleers in the early 1890s, and a synagogue built in 1910. The cameleers flourished in the later decades of the 19th century, transporting wool as well as construction materials for the Overland telegraph line from Darwin to Port Augusta. The Jewish population mainly came from Eastern Europe. While the synagogue closed in 1962, the mosque is still used for worship. BHP ceased operations in Broken Hill in the late 1930s, by which time other mining companies had formed, leaving behind an open-cut mine that writer George Farwell described in 1948 as, 'forlorn as a dead planet. It has the air of a crater on the moon... Massive boulders and abandoned machinery sprawl down its flanks as though flung down the sheer sides of a mountain gorge. Upon the crest old iron lies everywhere' (ibid, 2018, 74).
Beginnings of Broken Hill
The term Broken Hill was first used by the early British Explorer Charles Sturt in his diaries during his search for an inland sea in 1844. Western plains towns far away from the major rivers, such as Broken Hill, owe their existence to the mineral discoveries made in the decade after 1875, when spectacular deposits of gold, silver, copper and opal were found (HO, 1996, 198). The township of Broken Hill was developed in the "Broken Hill Paddock" which was part of Mt Gipps Station where George McCulloch, the station manager employed many men. It was in 1883 that three of his workers pegged the first mineral lease on his property: they were Charles Rasp, David James and James Poole(Drewery 1985; Camilleri, 2009). The Syndicate of Seven was formed, and consisted of: George McCulloch, Charles Rasp, David James, James Poole, George Urquhart and George Lind. These men pegged out the remaining six mineral leases which are now known as the Line of Lode. It was the seventh member of the Syndicate, Philip Charley, who found the first amount of silver in 1885 (Drewery 1985; Camilleri, 2009). A township was soon surveyed and Broken Hill was initially known as a shanty town with an entire suburb named 'Canvas Town' for its temporary buildings.
The first survey of Broken Hill was made by Mr. E.H. Dawson, and started on August 27, 1884. It was in the year 1885 that the town of Broken Hill began to develop. Previous to that date it was nothing but mulga scrub, with two or three tents or humpies. The first house was built on Block 14 for Mr. Wm. Jamieson, the manager of the Broken Hill Mining Co. Ten came Delamore's Hotel, which was pulled down out Lake's Camp way, carted into Broken Hill, and re-erected by Mr. A.F. Pincombe, one of the old pioneers who was well known on the Hill. In quick succession followed Sully's old store, the Silver King Hotel, and Brazill and Jones' store, then came J.R. Stewart, baker, Neilson & Co., butchers;, Langemen's billiard saloon, Vaughan's Hotel, Ledgard's, Lee's and Finn's, & Co. Argent Street began to assume a busy aspect.'
The town boundaries of the 'Town of Willyama' were proclaimed on August 24th, 1887. The Municipal District of Broken Hill was constituted by a Proclamation dated 24th September, 1888 to include 'the Towns of Willyama and Alma and other lands.' The Proclamation, gazetted July 24th, 1907, 'hereby constitute as a City the said Municipality of Broken Hill.'
The Chimney
The original syndicate of seven which held the seven mining leases (Blocks 10-16) on the broken hill named their venture the Broken Hill Mining Company. Following the discovery of rich silver ores in early 1885, the syndicate appointed William Jamieson as manager in April 1885 and registered the name Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd, in June 1885. The BHP chimney marks the site of the hut built by Tim Phin and W.B. Orman for the company in May 1885 to house Jamieson. It was located amongst the busy mining area at the Line of Lode, the rocky outcrop which contained the ore body and was used for a short time as the BHP works office where all mining business was conducted. Although Jamieson resigned at the end of the year, during that period at this site he undertook planning of the original development work at the mine including the erection of the first smelters. The BHP Chimney is the only remaining remnant of the hut which dates from the year that mining activities began in Broken Hill and when it began its development as a remote inland town.
No photographs have been located of the hut which housed the original BHP offices.
By 1888, wooden staff houses and a handsome stone office were erected about 500 metres to the northwest. The site was now part of the Block 14 Mine. By the 1890s, all BHP staff housing was provided at proprietary Square.
In 1908 the BHP Chimney was already a ruin but described as 'One of the most historical spots on the Hill. Beside this stack in a large tent there lived in the early days Mr. Wm. Jamieson and his assistant A. Reid, W.R. Thomas, Alf Orman, two or three axemen, cook. It was in this tent the destinies of Broken Hill were laid, it was here that all business with the mine was transacted, and here in this tent Mr. Thomas drew the plans of Block 14, British, Block 10. The Company has lately placed a railing round the old spot, in order that it may be preserved.' (Curtis, 1908) By this time BHP had erected a wooden railing around the chimney so that it might be preserved.
BHP ceased operations at Broken Hill in 1939. In 2001, BHP became part of BHP Billiton, the world's largest resources company.
The BHP Chimney thus represents the birthplace of BHP, a company which helped shape Australia's mining and industrial landscape.
The BHP Chimney is located on Crown land reserved for Temporary Common (Reserve 2421 Notified 4 September 1886), known locally as the Willyama Common, which is administered by Broken Hill City Council as the trust manager for the Willyama Common Trust. Consolidated Mining Lease no.7, held by CBH Resources Pty Ltd, includes the site but there are no plans to conduct surface mining in this area.
The top section of the chimney has been rebuilt at some time since 1907 and the structure modestly covered with a tin roof on four wooden columns. Under the supervision of Broken Hill City Council's heritage advisor in 2008, the chimney was repointed and interpretation signage added to the site. |