There is nowhere in Australia quite like Lightning Ridge.
Famous for its magnificent opals, Lightning Ridge is home to the unique black opal, a rare and luminous gem. The best way to learn more about the natural, cultural and technological heritage of Lightning Ridge’s opal fields, their opal and people is to check out the cinematic celebration that is SPARK!
If that doesn’t give you the opal bug and send you off fossicking for your own piece of perfection, you can enjoy the rest Lightning Ridge has to offer.
John Murray’s Art Gallery is a must see; the colour and humour of life in the bush jumps out of the work with the whimsy and realism that sets John Murrays artwork apart from the pack.
Chambers of the Black Hand is a unique gallery of over 350 sandstone carvings and murals and offers a miner’s knowledge of geology and formation of opal, and how the drives and shafts were hand-dug by the old timers over the past 100 years.
The Australian Opal Centre houses the world’s leading collection of opalised fossils and is building a magnificent collection of precious opal, cultural artefacts, artworks, photographs, archival and research materials.
Follow the car door signs (which replace street names) for self-drive tours of the area.
The stark beauty of the area attracts many artists and photographers. The old church on the yellow car door tour was erected for the movie “Goddess of 67”.
Amigo’s castle, hand-built by one man over 25 years, is a work in progress.
Hop on a tour of the Grawin opal fields and chat with the miners at the Grawin Club in the Scrub and have a drink at the Glengarry Hilton.
No hustle. No traffic. No parking problems!
Leave with your own out-of-the -ordinary experience that will stay with you and bring you back to the region again and again.
If you need an excuse to book that trip, here are some dates to spark your interest:
The Lightning Ride Easter Festival 2nd – 4th April 2021.
The Lightning Ridge Opal Festival 28th – 31st July 2021.
For more information on all things Lightning Ridge head to: http://lightningridgeinfo.com.au/
