Lightning Ridge opal fields

Before you go

• Lightning Ridge is the world's main source of black opal, mined mostly in small family claims.
• The Car Door Tours follow coloured car doors on marked routes; stay on tracks and respect private claims and open shafts.
• Winter and spring are best; summer is very hot, and unsealed tracks can be impassable after rain.

Getting there

Lightning Ridge lies in the far north of New South Wales, reached from the Newell Highway through Walgett or from Bourke across the plains. The town is the only major base, with fuel, shops and varied lodging, including options built underground or in the old mining style.

What to see

Tour an underground mine such as the Chambers of the Black Hand, soak in the artesian bore baths and follow a Car Door Tour past claims and galleries. Further out, the Grawin and Glengarry fields offer a corrugated-iron pub and the Club in the Scrub.

Fossicking etiquette

Most ground is held under private mining claims, so do not dig or take anything without permission. Public fossicking areas and tours exist; ask at the visitor centre. Wear sturdy shoes and keep clear of unfenced shafts, especially after dark.

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