Celebrating Chinese New Year in outback mining town

Celebrating Chinese New Year - The Year of the Horse. [Photo/Flickr Choo Yut Shing]

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Celebrations kicked off around the country last Friday to mark the start of the Lunar New Year.

Across Asia, this is a time when people travel long distances, to catch up with family and friends for the two-week Chinese holiday.

However, the mining town of Broken Hill is a long way from Taiwan.

But for Stephen Kung and Alison Yan they're still planning on cooking up traditional dishes to commemorate The Year of the Horse.

"Because we're in Broken Hill, we'll be preparing a lot of big dishes like seafood, chicken, pork, beef and we'll buy very fresh salmon to make some sushi.

"After dinner we'll give each other a red envelope and put some small money inside, to wish our friends good luck in the New Year.

"We'll also play a Chinese poker game, like mah-jong."

For Alison Yan, this is the first time she will be away from her family during Chinese New Year.

"This is the first time I won't be in Taiwan and this year I feel lonely.

"When my cousin showed me a video of my mother, my uncle and my father, I almost cried.

"I have a big family and four Aunties who live in different cities.

"So usually during Chinese New Year they will go to my hometown.

"For me it's a very important time of year as I might only see them once."

Mr Kung hopes the Year of the Horse will bring prosperity to those he loves.

"I will say some good things to my family and friends to wish their career or business to go faster, longer and have stamina - like a horse."

Alison Yan says she has tried riding a horse in Korea and in Taiwan when she was a child and would like to learn to ride in the Silver City.

"If I have a chance I'd like to try to ride a horse in Broken Hill."

Mr Kung and Ms Yan say apart from wishing their loved ones the best for the new year, they also like to wish them good fortune.

"We can say Gong Xi Fa Chai: Gong Xi means congratulations and Fa Chai means to make more money."