Historic Daydream Mine, NSW

Mulga Acacia Tree - used in much of the construction of the mine. Now eaten by feral goats

This quirky, yet insightful tourist attraction was most certainly the highlight of our Broken Hill stint. Despite being afraid of the dark and of confined spaces I had a 'blast' exploring the underground sections of this old silver mine and was enthralled listening to stories about boys as young as eight working the mine, that was predominately toiled by Cornish and Walsh miners.
In the 1850's the semi-arid landscape of the Appollyon Valley and of what was to become the townships of Silverton and Broken Hill had prospectors searching for gold. Yet attempts proved unsuccessful and it wasn't until the 1880's when Cornish and Walsh miners from the nearby copper mines of Burra descended upon the land, this time in search of silver.
It is said the Daydream Mine, named so as prospector, Joe Meech in 1881 awoke from a day slumber to find himself upon a silvery outcrop, declaring the lease his. However, due to a dispute with the lease it was not until 1884 that the silvery outcrop began to be mined. During the 1880's the region was awash with prospectors in search of the now lucrative silver. Broken Hill was officially discovered by Charles Rasp in 1883, and the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP) incorporated in 1885. The Daydream Mine remains in much of the original condition, showcasing the strength of the Mulga tree that continues to prop up the tunnels and the endurance of the short in stature, but tall in courage miners that worked 12 hours per day, 6 days per week in candle light to extract the ore. The mine ceased operations in the early 1900's and was reopened by an old BHP miner in the 1960's who toiled away at the lode, until his death in the 1980's. After his death the family opened the mine to the public as a tourist venture.