80. Patton Park

William H Patton, after whom Patton Park was named, was an American mining engineer appointed as manager of the BHP Mine in 1887. In 1888 Patton introduced ‘square set timbering’ which revolutionised underground mining in Broken Hill. The system soon spread to other mines throughout Australia, and then around the world, and was in use until the 1960’s. 

Patton Park became the village green of the new South Broken Hill community when it was officially opened in November 1940. The elegant wrought iron entrance gates of the park open onto a wooden rotunda shaded by mature gum trees planted in the 1940s by Broken Hill City Council and the South Broken Hill Progress Association.  

In 2019 the Park was refurbished with funding from the State Government, Broken Hill Environmental Lead Program, and Broken Hill City Council.

Audio transcript available.