SILVERTON
The ‘ghost town ‘ of Silverton lies 25kilometres north- west of Broken Hill, New South Wales.
Its formation as a township followed the discovery of lead-silver-zinc ore in 1875-1876 at Thackaringa in the Barrier Ranges, 22 kilometres to the south – west .
With the opening of the Pioneer mine by Patrick Green at Thackaringa, prospectors gradually moved into the district, many of them from South Australia, following the decline of copper fields in that State. In 1881 John Stokie pegged out the Umberumberka (‘native rat-hole) claims, and mining operations began a year later. Other leases were taken up in the surrounding hills and ranges and small, rich, deposits of silver-bearing ore were located.
A settlement was established at the site of the Umberunberka mine comprising a store, hotel, and two boarding houses, to cater for the population of 150.
However, new settlers preferred an area besides the Umberunberka Creek,where there was some form of water supply. For a time the small village was regarded as an extension of U,mberumberka but, in 1883, the name of silverton was adopted.
By the end of that year the population of Silverton was estimated at 250. No official census ever was taken but the peak population (reached in 1885-1886) did not exceed 3,000. By this time, however, the small pockets of high grade ore had become exhausted, and there was a wholesale exodus of miners and their families to the newly discovered Broken Hill mining field. (The original Broken Hill leases were pegged out in 1883 but the main lode was not located until 1885, when the famous Broken Hill Priopietary Co. Limited was formed.
The B.H.P. Company ceased to operate in Broken Hill in 1939)
The number of Silverton’s inhabitants decreased to 1700 by 1888 and at the close of the century the population was 600. In succeeding years there was a steady decline, and the population now numbers less than at least 50.
The only public buildings which exist at Silverton are the Court House (now the Silverton Youth Camp) Municipal Chambers, School (closed 13th march 1970) Umberumberka Masonic Temple, Methodist Church (formerly Presbyterian) ,the Silverton hotel which is situated on the site of the original post office and the Gaol which is now a Historical Museum and is one of the biggest museum in N.S.W. housing history from around the district ..
Dame Mary Gilmore, under her maiden name of Mary Jane Cameron,served as an assistant tewacher at the Silverton Public School from October, 1887, to December, 1889. She was created a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1937 inrecognition of her services to Australian literature, and died in 1962 at the age of 97 years.
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