Before motor transport became useful and popular, camels, bullocks and horses were beasts of burden in the outback. Camels were most used because they could carry a good load on their backs and were faster than bullocks and could exist on less feed and water than the other two mentioned.

For many years even after the introduction of motor transport, the common on the northern side of Broken Hill was called “camel camp” which was occupied by Afghans and their camels, which reminds me of a story often told by mine host, George Tainsh, proprietor of the hotel in which I stayed during my five years in Broken Hill.

George’s story goes like this. Before becoming a publican George was the local representative of Vacuum Oil Co (now Mobil) and each year all the reps of South Aust. And Broken Hill were called to Adelaide to bring them up to date with all the latest in the oil industry.

The night before the conference, George and a few mates had a night out drinking and playing poker, so naturally they were not too bright for the lecture the following morning.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released the first batch of data collected in last years census.

It shows that for the first time the population of Central Darling Shire Council area has slipped below 2,000 The area boundaries appear to be different to the previous census, so the figures for both Wilcannia and White Cliffs include surrounding rural areas.

CENTRAL DARLING SHIRE COUNCIL

Total number of residents 1991
There were 1048 males and 943 females
758 indigenous
1762 born in Australia
739 dwellings in the shire
26 New Zealanders,
Median personal income $387
There were 480 visitors in the shire on census night who gave their usual place of residence as outside the shire
362 residents were listed as being a volunteer at some time during the previous year
246 males did no unpaid domestic work and 147 females said they did no unpaid domestic work. The   highest age groups in this section were 55 males between the age of 55-64 and 31 females between the age of 55-64
26 males were shown as lone parents compared with 88 females.

Pedestrians urged not to use Hospital Road during construction.

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Due to construction works and changed road conditions on the  Broken Hill Health Service campus, the public are advised to use the footpath along Hospital Road (Thomas Street side) when entering the hospital from the hospital car park.

For safety reasons, visitors are also asked to avoid walking on the road from Thomas Street to enter the campus. The hospital can be entered via the Thomas Street footpath entrance or the main entrance, near the Emergency Department.

Drivers are also reminded that   Hospital Road is one-way to traffic entering from Thomas Street until further notice. For safety reasons, the speed limit has been reduced to 10 kilometres / hour.

The much awaited and long promised playground for children who live and visit in the Mallee has finally been completed.

Originally suggested as part of the housing redevelopment in the Mallee in 2003, the project stalled for whatever reason.

Funding was then made available in 2010 for the construction. A bit over 12 months ago the “Save The Children” organisation took on the project. The first step was to have a suitable piece of land set aside. There were a few stumbling blocks with land ownership and the physical layout of land title in the Mallee however Central Darling Shire Council have agreed to gift the land to the Wilcannia Local Aboriginal Land Council.

The builders, who were from Brisbane, were still packing their tools away as the first of the kids descended on the new equipment.

The cost of the playground and seating was around $85,000.

Photo: Knomi Johnson enjoys the slippery dip