Rubbish tips dating to the 19th century across the state's far west are offering a wealth of opportunity for "dump diggers".
With most old major city tips built over and lost to urban development, many across the outback are still accessible.
Some of the rarest and most valuable items found by dump diggers are entire collections of toy dolls and old glass bottles, some worth a small fortune.
Trash becomes treasure
Broken Hill diggers Brian and Margaret Edwards have built an enormous collection of glass bottles and antique toy dolls over the years.
We started off with a penny ink (bottle) which we found up above White Cliffs," Mrs Edwards said.
"That’s what set us off and that was 40-odd years ago," Mr Edwards added.
One of the larger tips in Broken Hill's north has attracted diggers from all over Australia eager to find treasure among the trash.
The tip was used for waste from Broken Hill's first mining settlement from the late 1800s until it closed in 1924.
"Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie are the only towns in Australia that had the most dolls because they had the richest paid miners at the time," Mrs Edwards said.
Mr Edwards said diggers in the NSW west were in a unique position thanks to the accessibility of the dumps.
Mr Edwards said the Australian bottle digging market was huge and some of the rarest bottles in his collection had been valued at more than $3,000.
"In those big cities there’s bottle diggers just watching construction sites all the time for any signs of a bit of glass popping up. They’re that keen," he said.
"There’s not too many places in Australia where you can go and actually have a dig legally."
Hard fight for hobby
While it is legal to dig at some tips in the far west, not just anyone can pick up a spade and start shovelling.
Brian and Margaret Edwards have fought hard to be granted access to the dump in Broken Hill's north.
"We used to go out there digging and there was never any hassle, then the council said it was too dangerous," Mrs Edwards said.
After two years sitting in at every council meeting, the couple were granted access to the dump, and formed the Far West Outback Historic Collectors Club.
"We went for years trying to get the dump and the council made us form a club and take out insurance and we are trustees of it [the site] now."
Collectors preserve history
Broken Hill digger Antony Zahra has been turning over age-old waste his entire life.
"I remember when we were little kids my brother would come back from the rubbish dump with old bottles because they were worth a bit of money," Mr Zahra said.
"My mother and father would take the family out there and we'd have a picnic and dig, and I just got hooked."
Mr Zahra believes some of the items he has found date back to the late 1870s and his doll heads have been valued at more than $400.
"We're actually digging up history. What's out there is history," Mr Zahra said.
Retired valuer and second-hand dealer Neville Bent said what was thrown out 100 years ago was now quite valuable.
"I would look at age, condition, demand … some things found are now worth thousands of dollars," Mr Bent said
Brian and Margaret Edwards, who are now retired, said they were finally able to take time to appreciate their collection.
The couple are hoping others will be able to enjoy their collection as much as they have after they die.
Down the track I’d like the Broken Hill bottles to go to a museum in Broken Hill,” Mr Edwards said.
