The property was purchased as an investment by Mr R.N.Strachan, an accountant.
An Interim Conservation Order No. 97 was placed on the building by the Heritage Council and notified in Government Gazette No. 153 of 16 November, 1979. This was extended by an order effective from 8 April, 1982, for two years and was then converted to a permanent order.
The Broken Hill City Council acquired the property in 1984 and immediately set about its restoration with the help of grants from the Heritage Council and Government. After a lot of hard work the building was stabilised and restored to something near its original beauty. It was officially opened on 5
September,1987 by the then Minister for local Government, Mrs Janice Crozier.
Since then it has housed an exhibition of paintings, a display of material donated by the B.H.P. Company and an aboriginal heritage display. Its present role as the Geo Centre we hope will be long lasting and a significant feature in telling locals and visitors about our mineral heritage.
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Walter Sully’s Store
Broken Hill's oldest business establishment began as a branch store in Silverton in 1882.
However in 1885 the owner of that store moved to Broken Hill to establish business in the growing town.
Mr Walter Sully pegged out the site for the construction of a building which was to be his store.
The original building that Walter Sully built is the portion of the existing main store covered by the arch shaped galvanised iron roof, was the hardware store in Argent Street.
After some years, Mr Sully built the adjoining building which contains the showroom and office.
While the work was being done ,Mr. Sully opened up a small business in a wood and iron store which he brought from Euriowie on a jinker.
The stone building was fully stocked when completed and sold goods of every description.
When Mr. Sweetapple came from Adelaide to join the firm in 1887 as an accountant, Sully's had two managers. When one of the managers left the position,Mr.Sweetapple was appointed to replace him, a position which he held up until his death in 1935.
Walter Sully's was formed into a Limited company on November 29 1907.
Walter Sully was chairman of directors and H.B. Sweetapple was managing director
there were five other directors.
In 1924, Mr Sully died in retirement in England and when the estate was finalised, Mr. Sweetapple, iin addition to his holdings, acquired most of the other shares and also purchased the shares of Mr.W.A. Sully, the son of the founder.
Mr Sweetapple then became chairman of directors as well as managing director.
From the date of the formation of the Company, business prospered for a number of years until the depression struck.
In 1935,Mr.B.D.Sweetapple, fresh from college joined the staff.
Mr.H.B. Sweetapple died suddenly later that year and his son, Mr Bernard Deane Sweetapple, took over the position of managing director.
He was a very young man to hold such a position of responsibility but soon found his feet and set about building up the business in the wake of the depression.
Sully's soon gained the business of the mines and outback for buildings and other materials.
In a short time the new managing director doubled the turnover and then trebled it. The business grew to great heights.
Business became so brisk that the firm decided to appoint an assistant manager and in 1939,Mr.I.M.Bills was appointed to the position.
Mr Bills kept in daily touch with the mines and building contractors and helped the firm increase even more the amount of turnover.
n 1949,the accountant-secretary ,Mr.S.H. Raynor resigned and Mr.K. Hammond who had started as office boy ,took over the position.
Mr.Bernie Sweetapple died in 1961 and his position was taken over by his son, Jim.
Walter Sully was the longest surviving commercial business in Broken Hill until closure in 1985. To-day the Broken Hill City Council is the owner of the building.
