The Broken Hill experience . . .

[Cas van Loon]

To visit Broken Hill is an eye-opener, to experience Australia in the NSW Outback
a spiritual engaging, awe-inspiring landscape, aboriginal history, off the beaten track
camping under a million stars, unfamiliar sounds of bush, waking to glorious sunrise
one can see forever, feeling of utter loneliness, no morning chorus of birds, big surprise

Broken Hill has a feeling of sophistication, an atmosphere all its own, hard to define
seems to have an underlying feeling of early days, with a mixture of modern time
the buildings, population, amenities, expectations of better things to come the air fills
a far cry from its humble beginnings when rich mineral deposits were found in hills

Famous not only for its minerals, also for frequency and severity of dust storms at times
increasing when denuding of landscape of nearly all the vegetation for use in the mines
noxious fumed belching over town, causing grave concerns for the health of population
outbreak of typhoid, shortage of fresh food, water, leading to call for better sanitation

Also known for its vibrant art community, depicting the Outback in their own inimitable style
one can be forgiven, if a short intended visit, with so much to see, turns out to be awhile
paintings, depicting the great Outback, vivid sunsets, landscapes and vast open space
some also, in fine detail, depicting the struggles of yesteryear, telling stories that amaze

Because of unusual clear light, expansive vistas, drawn by artistic atmosphere pervading
stick-like figures in desert, Silver Tree, all of those, seeing them fire the imagination
in the many art galleries paintings by world famous painters, many worth a fortune
too many to contemplate, compare, from their artistic influence you won't be immune

For bush lovers, Kinchega National Park, facsinating deserts, wilderness area to explore
historic shearing shed, myriad lakes, teeming with waterbirds, as you haven't seen before
aboriginal burial sites in soft sand, stone implements, windblown dunes of reddish sand
more intriguing sites to visit, one never has enough time it seems, for this mysterious land

[Glenny Palmer]

Gee Cas, you packed a lot of images into this one. Very nice being able to take such a lovely trip & never leave my chair. And you are so right....one never does have enough time to experience it all. Thank you for sharing.
Hope all is well with you & yours
Glenny

[Cas van Loon]

Hi Glenny, the body might be old but the memories, oh, the memories, of all our traveling are still as fresh as yesterday and am only too pleased to share our travels with one and all. Traveling to us was not just rushing from one place to the next, most people can only tell you how great the shopping and the weather were. Have asked people we know who have traveled what their impressions were and they just look at you if you asked a question about the moon. Anyhow that was our way of traveling and always enjoyed the experience and now the sharing. Thank you ever so much and for our age group we are doing pretty good, just local little trips but that's fine. Thanks once again and cheerio, Cas

[thestoryteller]

Cass certainly had a love of this country and enjoyed expressing himself in verse.



Merv.