
ABORIGINAL RELICS near BROKEN HILL 
By A. B. BLACK anu CHARLES FENNER. 
Plate vi and two text figures. 
iw the latter part of 1948, when one of the authors (C.i.) was on a visit ta Bro- 
ken Hill, N.S.W,, the other author (A.B.B,) stated that he knew of a site uear the 
Broken Hill Racecourse where there were curious arrangements of stones whieh 
he thought might be of aboriginal origin. With Mr. J. PF, Paterson, who was also 
interested, 4 Visit Was therefore paid to the area. 
Sife. The area in question lies about four miles to the north of, and in 
sight of, Broken Hill, on the right hand side of the Old Main Road from Broken 
Hill to Stephens Creek, and opposite to the Broken Hill Racecourse. The relies 
in question consist of a series of whal we have called '‘hearths’’, arranged in fonr 
or tore irregular groups, and spread over an area about 60 yards wide from west 
to east and 450 yards long from south to north. (See plan), 
The “‘hearths’’ are arranged in somewhat irregular gronps along the left 
side of a small dry stream-bed, cut about 5 or 6 feet deep into red alluvial soil, 
There are rock bars across the bed of the stream, and it is likely that, in the 
past, temporary water was obtainable in places in soaks, either in this stream 
bed or in nearby tributaries, The visit was paid atter a fall of rain, aud ihe 
ereek-bed was moist everywhere. 
Close by, on the right bank of the stream, there is a small hill of ancient 
(Pre-eambrian, Willyama series) schistose rocks, The plain on which the abori- 
ginal site ovenrs widens rapidly to the northward, Standing on the site, one has 
the umpression of a vast and impressive amphitheatre, bounded by the low blue 
wregular hills characteristic of that distriet. This ‘amphitheatre’? is not clearly 
marked on a locality map, but the psychological! impression on the spot is quite de- 
finite, The point is stressed here because of the possible ceremonial origin of the 
‘hearths,’ 
The hills surrounding the plain are rough, and those to the west behind the 
racecourse provide gorges i which, according to old inhabitants, rock wallabies 
were numerous, It world appear that, for short periods after rain, there was 
water available, animal food m the nearby ranges, emus on the plain, and also 
wattle trees atid spear grass. 
“Hearths.”” The “‘hearths’’ ave 129 in number, of which 12 are over thiee 
feet in diameter. While no one deseription will cover all the varieties, the best 
preserved and most impressive consist of collections of from 40 to 50 stones, mostly 
of flat schistose material, purposefully placed to make a. flat mosaic surface, as 
shown in the photographs, (Plate 1). Some of them are of more irremular and 
smaller stones, Hot so close-packed. Also, many that appear to have once been elose- 
packed ‘‘hearths’’ are now dispersed so that they are no more than irregular e¢lis- 
ters of stones. The ‘hearths’? vary from 1 foot to 44 feet in diameter, and are, 
on acconnt of iho special erosive forces of this area, mostly raised a little above the 
soil, ‘The stones comprising the ‘‘hearths'’ are small, the size varying from 2 
inches 10 4 inches in maximum length, a few larger. On lifting a stone charcoal 
can sometimes be seen in the soil (hat now binds the stones together. The \inder- 
lye surface is red dey wind-swept alluvium, There are some trees (Acacia vic- 
lorra¢) and small blue bushes (Kochia sedifolia). Rejuvenation within the ad- 
joining racecourse area suggests that, at one (ime, the area was fairly well grown 
with Arneia wetariae, ete,, Which would provide shelter, (rewood, and seed, 
