Lightning Ridge is an outback town renowned for black opal mining. Thousands of tourists come to the town each year to try their hand at opal fossicking or just to enjoy a relaxing outback holiday. Visit the Walk in Mine to inspect an underground opal mine and to try fossicking on the mullock heaps.

The Big Opal also has mining tours and allows fossicking. Kangaroo Hill Tourist Centre has a display of rocks and minerals and The Bottle House has a mineral museum. The Bore Baths are a free facility open 24 hours where you can experience a theraputic bath in the warm, mineralised artesian waters.

A Black Opal Tour is a good way to see the various mining sites in the area and get an insight into the history of Lightning Ridge. There are some excellent local galleries including John Murray’s Art Gallery, the Goondee Aboriginal Keeping Place, Barriekneal Arts & Crafts, Graeme Anderson’s Gemopal Pottery, Vibes Pottery & Artworks, The Heritage Cottage Gallery and Bird of Paradise Art Gallery.

Of course you will find quite a number of retail outlets selling opals and opal jewellery. The town has a full calendar of events to entertain the tourists, whatever time of year you choose to visit. Stay in a hotel, motel or caravan park.

Location
Lightning Ridge is located 768 km from Sydney.

Activities
Lightning Ridge is famous for black opals, gem fossicking, arts and crafts, opal jewellery and black opal mining.