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balhannah Says: The BLUE CAR DOOR TOUR took us to the Walk in Mine.We visited here with the Tour company. I was a little disappointed with this mine, this was because we had been down another one 1st, one that I enjoyed. The Walk In Mine was originally mined during the early 1960's....
balhannah Says: Located next to the Vistor Information centre in Lightning Ridge, is a FREE FOSSICKING AREAIt pays to remember, that you are not allowed to just go into anybodys mullok heaps, even though they look deserted, they are a Miners claim. Miners can be very angry people, and they...
CHAMBERS OF THE BLACK HAND - PART 2
balhannah Says: Part 2 of the Tour, and this was the amazing part.I guess you could call it an underground Art Gallery.The Owner ...Ron Canlin spent 10 years chiselling the sandstone walls into more than 400 works of art. Canlin was an opal miner before deciding he'd turn his hand to stone...
balhannah Says: I told you Lightning Ridge was a "quirky town" in the Outback of Australia, but little did I expect to find was an Olympic Swimming Pool!Yes, you read right! An Olympic Swimming Pool was built for Olympic swimmers from other countries to do their training in for the...
balhannah Says: In Summer, when Lightning Ridge hits some high temperatures, then there are several places you can go to cool off.If you have children, then the Water Theme park looked pretty amazing, children would just love it!These are some of the Water features in the...
balhannah Says: Another unusual building in this town, is the Bottle house, it looked to be made out of hundreds of bottles. People around here sure know how to recycle!Originally a miner's camp it now houses a collection of bottles, mining artifacts, rocks & minerals & More.Opening Hours:...
CHAMBERS OF THE BLACK HAND TOUR - 1
balhannah Says: What a funny name for a tour..............Well, name aside..........THIS WAS ONE EXCELLENT TOUR!The tour is in two parts, you can do either a part of a full tour, all the full tour.We chose the full tour.We entered the Mine down a steep stair-case, what goes down, must come...
balhannah Says: The other section of the Gem gardens is more paths, shrubs and lawns.You wouldn't know there is a Pump Station here, as it has been made into a mini-miners cottage.In the centre is a fountain that has 8 panels of different murals made of potch, stone and colour representing...
balhannah Says: The Botanic Gardens at Lightning Ridge are a little different. This is because, one whole area is dedicated to Shrubs/Tree/Flowers that grow in the Outback.These are the ones that can help you to survive if you are lost in the bush, or the ones that the Aboriginal's use for...
LIGHTNING RIDGE SCENERY & HOMES
balhannah Says: If you come to Lightning Ridge, then you really must leave the main town area, and get out to where the Miners and their Camps/Humpys/Homes are.This is where the real Lightning ridge is, and I am sure you will be amazed at what the Miner's live in, especially if you have...
balhannah Says: The Red Car door tour, wound us around many mullock heaps, and miner's humpys. The land is barren and harsh, there are Trees, but not a lot. We didn't see people around, I guess they are all working underground. Opal was first discovered at Lightning Ridge in the 1880s, and...
Helpfulness
Lost Sea Opals has been at The Ridge for more than 30 years, and has a great reputation, well earned for their integrity and beautiful products. They mine, buy and cut opals, and then design and manufacture some of the most beautful opal jewellery I have ever seen. Set alone, or with diamonds, pearls or other gems, the range and quality of product is second to none. Opal jewellery has often been fairly lack and tasteless, but none of that in this store.
There are also opalised fossils on display and for sale, with a view towards the preservation of these items of immense beauty and historical significance.
What to buy: OPAL
What to pay: Best prices you will get anywhere
Written Feb 18, 2006
Helpfulness
Of course, Lightning Ridge is full of Opal Buyers, Miners wanting to sell their Opals, and Opal Shops.
In Australia, you do not have to worry about being hassled to buy.
In the shops, go in for a browse, they will other help if needed.
In the Pub, we were approached by a Miner who offered us a look at his Opals to buy, all that had to be said was "No thanks, not interested" and he left us alone, NO PESTERING HERE!
The same out on the fields where some have small trestles with their opals on display.
Have a look, enjoy the Miner's yarn, [Miners have quite funny stories and are very interesting], even so, do not feel obliged to buy. They will not pressure you to buy!
It makes life & holidays so much more enjoyable to be able to look & browse IN PEACE!
Updated Jun 17, 2010
balhannah Says: Concrete mixers I hear you say! What can a tip be about a Concrete Mixer?At the entrance of the road that takes you into the Town of Lightning Ridge, we saw our 1st Concrete Mixer Agitator. We had no idea why it was there, until we did a tour later on.The Agitators are the...
ROADS IN & AROUND LIGHTNING RIDGE
balhannah Says: Lightning Ridge roads are TERRIBLY ROUGH!This is mainly around where the mines are, and the 'car door trails', in the Town itself, they are bitumen.They are dirt, they are gravelly, they are corrugated, they have been washed out with the unusual amount of rain they had this...
Helpfulness
Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: You need to take good walking shoes or boots - forget open shoes, unless you like getting your feet very dirty - the dust is everywhere! Closed boots are also most sensible if you want to go underground into a mine - which will have ladders to navigate.
Also, need to be prepared with some form warm clothing for the evenings, as, in most outback areas, it can get quite cool when the sun disappears.
Days are typically warm - hot, and, even in winter, once the sun comes up, no need for longs at all. Bring a good hat, as always, and plenty of water bottles.
Written Feb 18, 2006
Just drive around the fields............
thedouglas Says: Drive around and see the local community - the housing - the absolutely secondary interest in the housing quality - the quirky way "lean-to's" are built - and eventually get more of a lean. No real difference in these to decades ago. Rudimentary, and barely functional. Note...
thedouglas Says: This is a popular recommendation for visitors to The Ridge - an old minefield, which is still worked - often seasonally - is a beautiful setting to watch the sun go down. . The sunset from up here is just breathtaking, especially in the scape of the barren field, dotted with...
balhannah Says: No worries Mate, We have Toilets [washrooms] whatever, anywhere!Not like my time in Europe when it was hard to find one in a Capital City.Out here in the bush, 700kms from a Capital city, we have them, they may not be 5*, but it is a Loo, sometimes you maybe lucky and have a...
balhannah Says: Wild birds we encountered at Lightning Ridge were Apostle Birds. They are funny birds, and are quite used to humans.If you are staying at the Hotel/Motel Caravan Park, take a look at their aviary. They have some beautiful Australian Parrots in it.The 1st three photos are of...
WORLD'S RICHEST DEPOSIT OF BLACK OPAL
Lightning Ridge, located in outback NSW, has the world's richest deposit of black opal. The 'Ridge', as it is known to the locals, is different. Do not expect to see real clean, tidy, well dressed...
Lightning Ridge - Australian Black Opal Country
This is a cash town - where there are people from all over the world to be found - most of whom are eccentric individuals, who all contribute to making this a wonderffully interesting place to visit....
Build your own Lightning Ridge page
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