Lightning Ridge, Australia

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Lightning Ridge produces the world's finest Black Opal that is now the N.S.W. state emblem. This thriving multicultural town is home to 57 nationalities. Lightning Ridge is situated in north west N.S.W., just 65 kilometres from the Qld. border town of Hebel. Placed in the Walgett Shire, it has a diversity of tourism attractions for visitors. This was a pastoral area known as Wallengulla, before Opal was discovered in 1902 and the settlement of Nettleton sprung up. There is a spirit of pride and independence that has seen many improvements to the town, built from local donations and labour.

The Neighbourhood Centre hosts the Community Technology Centre and Community Library. The Visitors Information centre is located in the park next to the Opal FM and the Gem Gardens. For friendly local information, visit the Info centre.

The theme park that is attached to the Olympic sized pool, was started by a group of children identifying a need and organising fund raising. This park has a wave pool, water slides in the form of butterflies and dinosaurs, and mushroom fountains. An indoor diving pool is in the works.

The local Rotary Club have renovated the facilities at the naturally heated bore baths. These mineral rich waters are an attraction to all who have arthritis.

There are two tour companies who offer a variety of tours encompassing the various sights and experiences in town and the surrounding district. The Car Door Tours, over the roads travelled, give an insight into some of the unusual camp constructions that are a signature of Lightning Ridge. There are three castles, two made from local ironstone and one of concrete casts from various sized containers.

The three walk in mines, each have their own distinct experience. The Black Hand has a carved art gallery that gives new meaning to "around the world", it is unique. The Big Opal has a spiral staircase descending 23 metres. The Walk In Mine has a variety of attractions at the complex.

Both bottle houses are made from local "empties". One houses a museum of mining memorabilia, the other has a lamp collection, that when lit, gives a spectacular light show.

There are dirt mullock heaps for tourists to speck on. Some get lucky and find good opal. The cactus garden has a splendid collection of cacti from around the world. The open cut, at the three mile, is the site of the "Haley's Comet Opal" that is worth six million dollars.

The historical society is located in the old hospital building and gives you a good look at what life was like here at the turn of the century.

You can find out more about the history of Lightning Ridge by CLICKING HERE. Len Cram tells you the story – he is author of picture and storybooks on The Ridge.

Several art studios are located within the town and out on the fields. There are a number of Opal shops, all offering a different aspect of Opals for sale. Each shop has an individual approach to their displays, which makes for interesting browsing.

Between March and November, the Royal Flying Doctor committee and the Hospital auxiliary, conduct a trash and Treasure market every Sunday.

The Australian Opal and Fossil centre, that is planned as part of the three mile open cut site, is developing a fossil preparation shed and has a front office in Morilla Street, complete with dinosaur.

The nearby Grawin, Glengarry, Sheepyards and Coocoran Opal fields, offer their own unique experiences.

Lightning Ridge has many motels and caravan parks.

A visit to Lightning Ridge is an experience that is unique to the tourist calendar.

To see interviews with some of the locals, visit Marly's page.

Starting from the left side (Morilla st)- the story begins with the pastoral district depicted by the bullock dray carting the bales of wool. (this wool was sent to the paddle steamer at Walgett for a trip down the Barwon /Darling river system. Wild life abounded – goannas – koalas- kangaroo- emu- eagle –cockatoo- shingle back – there are many smaller reptiles depicted including a crucifix frog – can you find them?

There are a variety of stories of the rainbow and opals. The clarity and strength of opal colour is equalled only by the rainbow.

In the background and foreground mining has started – it was done slowly by hand with a shovel and pick. Taking a candle with them they sunk shafts and created tunnels that they could only just crawl through dragging a sack behind them to put the dirt in and remove it. This was then tipped into the bucket and wound up to the top by the turning the handle of the windlass. The shafts were rectangular about 5ft by 2ft (1500 x600mm). The only way in or out was by physically climbing up /down using the toe holds cut into the sides of the shaft. The lucky ones made rope ladders to assist them. Remember also that it would have been severely lacking in oxygen until two shafts were linked to create an air flow. Tunnels would have been stifling.

The settlements are starting over at the current three mile – there was a lot of campfire cooking and comradeship. (A few bad eggs – as always when money is involved – Mine ratters and crook buyers – but they usually left town in a hurry)

The “hill” – shows a cross section of the old time mine – then progresses to the use of a jackhammer, rickshaw and a hoist with ladder. This is still used today by the smaller miners – though many have progressed to the automation of diggers – boggers and blowers (giant vacuum cleaners).

There were varied methods of dry rumbling the dirt through a sieve to try to find the opal – one of the most innovative was the use of a car to run a paddler. Water was pumped onto the opal dirt and it turned to clay leaving the opal stones – in the bottom of the puddler. Here I should mention that not all fields are the same – generally in the Ridge area good opal is found in nobbys – small rock generally in patches of opal bearing rock –( further west at the Coocoran and Grawin the opal patches are in seams so the rock is not washed – the over burden is dumped creating a specking area.)

“Haleys comet” was found at the Lunatic hill open cut – which is shown in the background – there is a comet trail in the sky just as there was when the comet opal was found.

The next scene is the “walk in” – mine at bald hill, the spiral walk down at the big opal, and the drive in mine at Potch point– this marked the start of tourism and opal mining – They came from all over the world to the unique attraction of the drive in – the double decker bus was fact, as was a convoy of Bentley cars from England. This was also a boost in morale to disabled tourists as they could go underground in their wheelchairs.

In “the ridge” -Nothing was wasted – houses grew from discarded “empty’s”. There are both tin and bottle houses. Over the year many diverse tourism enterprises have grown. There are “car door” tours. Then we have the cactus garden – the astronomer’s castle – amigo’s castle and the bore baths. Three outstanding award winning attractions are the Black Queen, the Black Hand and the Opal Cave. Today tourism and mining go hand in hand with Lightning Ridge set to be the home of the Australian Opal and Fossil museum.

Photos on this page are supplied by John Atkins

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