City of Broken Hill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids City of Broken Hill New South Wales
Population	17,708 (2016 census) 17,479 (2019 est.)
• Density	104.2/km2 (270/sq mi)
Established	22 September 1888
Area	170 km2 (65.6 sq mi)
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACDT (UTC+10:30)
Mayor	Darriea Turley
Council seat	Council Chambers, Broken Hill
Region	Far West
County	Yancowinna
State electorate(s)	Barwon
Federal Division(s)	Parkes
Website	City of Broken Hill
LGAs around City of Broken Hill: Unincorporated Far West Unincorporated Far West City of Broken Hill Unincorporated Far West Unincorporated Far West

The City of Broken Hill is a special kind of local government area in New South Wales, Australia. It's located in the Far West region, which is a very remote part of the state. This area is home to an isolated mining city called Broken Hill. It's surrounded by a huge, mostly empty area known as the Unincorporated Far West Region. The city is easy to reach by the Silver City and Barrier Highways, and it also has its own railway line.

The main leader of the City of Broken Hill Council is the Mayor, Cr. Darriea Turley. She is a politician from the Country Labor group.

Broken Hill Council: A Look Back

The Broken Hill Town Hall, finished in 1890, was where the council met until 1968.

The local government in Broken Hill started a long time ago, on September 22, 1888. Back then, it was called the Municipal District of Broken Hill. People living there asked for a council because they needed help with public health and getting clean water. At the time, a serious illness called typhoid was spreading, and many people were getting sick.

One report from that time said the town was in a "terrible state" because of poor hygiene. Many people were leaving the town. To fix the water problem, a company built the Stephens Creek Reservoir in 1892. This dam gave the town its first reliable supply of clean water.

The first council had four areas, or "wards," named Burke, Wills, Sturt, and King. Each ward elected three council members, called aldermen. The first election happened on November 24, 1888. In 1909, the council changed how it elected members, choosing them from the whole town instead of separate wards.

By 1891, Broken Hill had grown a lot, with over 23,000 people. This made it the third-largest town in New South Wales! The town kept growing, reaching 25,000 people by 1897. Money from silver mining helped build many new things. They built schools, a technical college, a town hall, post offices, and a jail. Old wooden buildings were replaced with stronger brick and stone ones. Streets were paved, and parks were planted with trees.

The council built the beautiful Broken Hill Town Hall, which was opened in 1891. It was a very important building for the town.

In 1897, the council's name changed to the Municipality of Broken Hill. Then, on July 17, 1907, it officially became the City of Broken Hill. This was a big step, showing how much the town had grown and developed.

Recent History of the Council

In 2007, something unusual happened. The council was temporarily removed by the government. This happened because there were problems with council members arguing and getting involved in daily tasks. An "Administrator" was put in charge instead of the elected council. New elections were held in 2009, and a new council was chosen.

A cool fact about Broken Hill is that in 2015, it became the first city in Australia to be added to the National Heritage List. This means it's a very important place for Australia's history and culture!

Population Information

The City of Broken Hill is home to about 17,708 people, according to the 2016 census. The population has changed a bit over the years.

How the Council Works Today

The Broken Hill Administration Centre and Council Chambers has been the council seat since 1968.

The Broken Hill City Council has nine Councillors. These councillors are elected by the people of Broken Hill to represent them. All councillors serve for a four-year term. The Mayor is also chosen directly by the people through a vote.

The most recent election was held on September 10, 2016. Here's how the council looks:

Note: Sometimes there can be more councillors than seats if a mayor is also elected as a councillor, or if there are changes in how totals are counted.

The current Mayor, elected in 2016, is Darriea Turley. She is from the Country Labor party. The Deputy Mayor, Marion Browne, is also from Country Labor.