Cache is located on the outskirts of Broken Hill in close proximity to both the Pro Hart gallery and Sculptures / Living Desert precinct. You do not need to cross the boundary fence. I have often sighted kangaroos and emus in this very location!
Broken Hill is often known as a mining town, which it is, however it is also the site of one of Australia's earliest green actions. Situated on the edge of the Australian outback, sand drifts were swallowing the outskirts of the town, so in 1936, the Barrier Field Naturalists Club led by Albert Morris, an assayer, enlisted the help of a mining company and through the process of native revegetation, defeated these sand drifts and also reduced the effects from dust storms.
Regeneration reserves were established around Broken Hill to the north, west and south. The first one was planted in 1936 (now known as the Albert Morris Park), 22 acres (9 hectares) in size and using waste water from the miners' shower room, was deemed highly successful and in 1938 more sections of land were fenced from grazing rabbits and livestock and left to recover, these are known as the revegetation reserves.
The Broken Hill revegetation site was the first example of successful bush regeneration in its broadest sense within Australia. It improved the standard of living of residents as well as conserving plant and animal biodiversity. The regeneration reserves are now National Trust listed. The revegetation also planted a seed for further similar work around Australia. In the 1960s there was the birth of a larger conservation and land care movements in rural and suburban Australia.
In 2010, the local volunteer group Landcare Broken Hill, with help from City Council and Country Water, along with grants received from the Federal Government's Community Action Grants and the Volunteer Grants scheme as well as Club Legion (ensuring funds are available to repair and regenerate the green belt) commenced a pilot project at the other end of this regeneration area (corners of Brown St and Silverton Rd) in conjunction with National Tree Day, when it was noted as one of the severely vegetation reduced areas of the once "green belt" surrounding the city. The project aims to not only regenerate the area, but to also use different methods of planting and protection to find the most viable way to ensure success for other areas.
This information has been reproduced from the Powerhouse Museum, brokenhillaustralia and Barrier Daily Truth websites.
*** Congratulations to Phate for FTF! ***