While driving from Sydney to Adelaide – via Broken Hill – I could not help but take a detour and visit the town forever etched in the pages of Australian history.

Just seeing the old bank building with my own eyes brought shivers down my spine, so imagine my surprise when the doors suddenly opened!

Decades after the horrific crime scene made international news, the old bank building is now a second-hand shop; with tributes and memorials featured within to those who suffered here all those years ago.

Being able to stand in front of the vault door was an unnerving experience, and according to the owner, many tourists are prepared to pay top dollar to have this heavy door opened just so they can walk inside. Apparently, some of the people who made this request were ghost hunters and true crime aficionados, with foreigners making up a large number of those seeking the ‘extra tour.’ My fascination with the macabre does not stretch that far, so I was more than content just to see it from the outside – and that was creepy enough.

In all honesty, my original plan was to drive to Snowtown and take a few photos of the bank – just to say ‘I was there’, but I never expected to be able to enter the building. I’m not exactly sure but I think the place opens at midday, because there were other people waiting around at this time as well – and when the doors opened they were inside in a flash!

The old Snowtown bank is worth a visit – especially if you are interested in crime stories – and there are a lot of interesting things to see inside, not to mention being a great second-hand store. Don’t forget to support the other local businesses there, such as the larger bric-a-brac shop next door – as well as a pub across the road and a local supermarket a few doors down.