Broken Hill09 Aug 2010
Dr Andrew Lemon with Tour Ambassadors, Mick Robins and John Marshall with giant park bench in Broken Hill
Following the Cup’s visit to Jamestown, the Tour was bound for its first stop in New South Wales, jet setting off to Broken Hill on Monday, 9 August, to pay tribute to the mining town’s connections with the Melbourne Cup.
Broken Hill’s connection to the ‘race that stops a nation’ TM, stems back to 1895 when David James, a syndicate owner won the Melbourne Cup with Auraria.
The visit also featured former local miner turned dual Melbourne Cup winning trainer, Mr Mick Robins, who rose to fame when Rain Lover claimed the 1968 and 1969 Melbourne Cups. With Mick joining the crew the Tour entourage was in high demand around town, firstly paying a visit to the local ABC radio station for an in-studio interview.
The Tour crew then had its first experience with an online reception, when the ‘School of the Air’ students and teachers hosted a reception via the internet. Children from stations located 200km – 300km radius from Broken Hill logged on to hear Mick and John recollections of their Melbourne Cup experience and ask questions.
The Broken Hill City Council pulled out all the stops for the Cup’s visit, with the Mayor, Cr Wincer Cuy, bringing out his mayoral chains, for the very first time during his reign, for a welcome ceremony at the Council Chambers and Syndicate of Seven Monument, an icon that pays tribute to the town origins in mining.
The Tour entourage went on to visit Aruma Lodge Nursing Home, where the residents waited patiently for the Cup’s arrival, sharing their own Melbourne Cup story with the crew. Channel Nine’s leading current affair program, 60 Minutes, joined the Tour at Aruma Lodge to capture John Marshall working his magic with the Cup.
The iconic Cup then featured in the Town square, where the local community swarmed towards the golden trophy for their chance to don the white glove and grasp the trophy.
Venturing up the open cut mine, the crew visited Broken Hill’s iconic Broken Earth restaurant for lunch and snapped photos on the giant park bench installation.
Acting as the movie set for the upcoming Mad Max 2 film, Mick and John enjoyed a ride in the films’ Ford Interceptor up to Mundi Mundi lookout, a major tourist spot looking out over the infinite planes.
The Tour crew then headed to one of Broken Hill’s landmark tourist locations, the Silverton Hotel, for an afternoon snack and tipple.
Following a short break, the Cup and crew wrapped up the day’s events at a public reception hosted at the Regional Art Gallery, where the trophy was admired by St Patrick racing club members and council executives.
To close the day’s events, the event organisers and Tour crew spoiled themselves with a delightful dinner at the Astra Hotel.
9:15am – 9:45am: Radio interview ABC Outback Outlook program with Peter Jinks
10:00am – 10:30am: Visit School of the Air
10:45am – 11:15am: Meet with Mayor at the Council Chambers & Syndicate of Seven Monument
11:20am-11:50am: Visit Aruma Lodge Nursing Home
12:00pm – 1:00pm: Sausage sizzle in Town Square
1:15pm-2:15pm: Lunch at Broken Earth Restaurant
3:00pm – 3:30pm: Mundi Mundi look-out for a ride in the Mad Max 2 Ford Interceptor
3:30pm-4:15pm: Visit the Silverton Hotel
6:00pm – 7:00pm: Reception at Regional Art Gallery
7:30pm – 9:30pm: Dinner at Astra Hotel
*Please note that the above details may change closer to or on the day of the event
