Hot on the heels of the completed upgrade of the Broken Earth Complex at the Line of Lode in February, the NSW government has announced it is set to fund a brand-new commercial kitchen for the site to support its role as a tourist attraction.
In a previous story we highlighted the absence of a kitchen and asked how a new restaurant business could possibly be enticed to set up if they had to then purchase a multi-thousand dollar kitchen, so this is good news for any future restaurant or café considering the iconic site.
The job of installing the kitchen, along with associated upgrades, has been awarded to local company Mathew Barratt Electrical by the Department of Planning and Environment’s Crown Lands.
News of these further improvements follows upgrades made to the reserve in February that provided a redesigned and expanded Broken Earth Complex with new amenities.
“The Line of Lode has great tourism appeal with its prominent location, amazing views and meaningful role as a miners’ memorial of great relevance to the region,” said Barwon MP, Roy Butler.
“I can remember sitting in that restaurant watching the sun set over Broken Hill, an unforgettable experience. I look forward to seeing the restaurant reopen,” Mr Butler says.
Minister for Lands and Property, Steve Kamper, promised the project would support local employment and boost the economy.
“The Line of Lode is one of NSW’s most unique Crown land reserves and installation of a commercial kitchen will assist efforts to lease the Broken Earth Complex for use as a restaurant, café, art gallery and functions to support regional tourism,” Minister Kamper added.
Deputy Mayor Jim Hickey told us, “it will certainly help with finding a tenant. When it was offered without a fixed kitchen it was nearly impossible.
“For somebody to come up with a couple of hundred thousand [dollars] before they start a business is just an impossibility, so it’s a good move on the department’s behalf to put a kitchen in there,” Cllr Hickey told the Truth.
“The whole area now looks much better with the landscaping that’s been done up there. They’ve made accessibility a lot better up there, too.”
No date has been confirmed for the works to begin and the cost of the kitchen has not been revealed.
