Living Desert Sculptures — Broken Hill
Twelve sandstone monuments sculpted by international artists atop a hill in the Barrier Ranges.
Visitor Logistics
- Entry Fee: $10 Adult / $7 Concession (Pay station at park entrance).
- Opening Hours: 8:30 AM to 30 mins after sunset (6:00 AM in summer).
- Best Time to Visit: Golden hour before sunset as sandstone glows orange.
Sculpture Symposium 27
Sculpture Symposium 23
Sculpture Symposium 21
Sculpture Symposium 24
Sculpture Symposium 22
Sculpture Symposium 26
Sculpture Symposium 25
Sculpture Symposium 20
A Six-Week International Symposium
The Living Desert Sculptures were created during a sculpture symposium organised by Gosford-based artist Lawrence Beck, beginning on 1 April 1993 and concluding six weeks later in a blaze of national media coverage. Over 53 tonnes of sandstone were transported from the Wilcannia region to Sundown Hill for artists travelling from Mexico City, Tbilisi in Georgia, Damascus in Syria, and Bathurst Island, alongside local Broken Hill artist Badger Bates, whose work Nhatji (Rainbow Serpent) remains one of the twelve completed pieces.
Twelve Stories in Stone
Each sculpture carries its own narrative, from Eduardo Nasta Luna's "Facing the Day and the Night" to Lawrence Beck's own tribute sculpture created as "a present for Fred Hollows in the afterlife." The result is widely regarded as one of the most photographed outdoor sculpture sites in Australia, and features prominently in our Photography & Outback Scenery guide.
Timing Your Visit
Arrive in the final hour before sunset to see the sandstone glow deep orange against the Barrier Ranges — a spectacle best paired with an evening of stargazing, detailed on our Stargazing & Outback Astronomy page, before returning to Imperial Fine Accommodation for the night.