A long weekend itinerary in Lightning Ridge

Morning 

Day one is all about unearthing the heart of this town: opals. Opal mining began in Lightning Ridge in the late 1800s and almost all of the world’s rare black opals are sourced from these century-old mines. After breakfast at Opal Street Cafe, start your explorations at Cooper’s Cottage. Built in 1916, this rustic tin shack offers an authentic glimpse of the ramshackle life of mining pioneers in Lightning Ridge’s rugged heyday. 

Welcome signage, Lightning Ridge

Then it’s time to head underground. At The Lost Treasure Opal Mine Adventure, you can explore a 75-year-old working mine, wandering through its hand-dug tunnels and marvelling at the layers of clay and sandstone that might be hiding a sparkling treasure. If you’re feeling lucky, have a go at fossicking through their spoil heaps for a gem of your own. 

The Lost Treasure Opal Mine Adventure, Lightning Ridge

Afternoon 

Learn about the history of Lightning Ridge’s signature stones at the Australian Opal Centre. The impressive collection includes spectacular gems, rare opalised fossils and photographs from the early days of Australia’s outback mining industry. Then it’s time to check in to your modern, air-conditioned cabin or villa at the BIG4 Opal Holiday Park and cool off with a swim in the pool. 

Australian Opal Centre, Lightning Ridge

Evening 

As dusk approaches, Nettleton’s First Shaft lookout offers a front-row seat for the glorious setting sun. Not only is this the perfect vantage point to watch a golden glow cast over Lightning Ridge, but it was also the site of the town’s very first opal mine, sunk by Charlie Nettleton in 1903. A bronze statue of the intrepid prospector now stands outside the Lightning Ridge Heritage Cottage. For dinner, woodfired pizzas from Bruno’s Italian Restaurant will hit the spot after a busy first day. 

Nettleton's First Shaft Lookout, Lightning Ridge

Morning 

This morning, it’s time to hit the spa. Lightning Ridge sits above a channel of the Great Artesian Basin, one of the largest and deepest freshwater basins in the world, and natural pressure sends bubbles of mineral-rich thermal waters up into bore baths across the NSW outback. The Lightning Ridge Bore Baths are just across the road from your accommodation, so you can soak up the goodness of these two-million-year-old natural springs that sit at a constant 41 degrees Celsius. 

Lightning Ridge Bore Baths, Lightning Ridge

Grab a quick breakfast at The Gourmet Gecko, then take a stroll through Bevan’s Cactus Nursery. This locally owned farm grows more than 2,500 succulents and cacti, including some rare and ancient plants – some are more than 100 years old. 

Bevans Cactus Nursery, Lightning Ridge

Afternoon 

It’s time to go off road. Drop into the Lightning Ridge Visitor Info Centre and pick up some maps of the unique Car Door Tours. These self-drive tours are marked by colourful wrecked car parts and the Orange tour will take you west to the Grawin opal fields. This cluster of remote opal mines is dotted across a dusty, lunar-like landscape threaded with dirt roads and the occasional house, shop or interesting memorial. Your GPS won’t work out here, so stick to the directions, and remember that you are driving through working mines, so don’t venture too far off the road. 

Cumborah, Lightning Ridge

Visit the Grawin Opal Miners Sports and Recreation Club – better known as the ‘Club in the Scrub’ – for a cold drink or a meal. Built from pine posts and bursting with mining memorabilia, it’s the perfect place to chat with the local’s or ask a miner about their latest find. 

Grawin Opal Miners Sports and Recreation Club, Cumborah

Evening 

Before the sun goes down, drive across to the opal mines near the Sheepyard Inn. The spoil heaps that surround these mines are perfect for fossicking for opals and you might just find some buried treasure to take home. Stay for dinner then admire the sparkling night sky, with the Milky Way often clearly visible across the inky blackness. 

Man showing visitors opal fragments at Sheepyard Inn, Lightning Ridge

Morning 

Coffee, fresh juice and a hearty breakfast menu await at The Busy Bee Cafe in the centre of town. Then it’s just a short stroll to the Bottle House and Mining Museum, one of Lightning Ridge’s most famous buildings. A former miner’s camp from the 1960s, it’s made entirely of glass bottles held together with cement and clay. Inside, you’ll find a fascinating collection of historic artefacts and mining gear. 

Head underground for an art viewing with a twist. The Chambers of the Black Hand is a subterranean gallery 11 metres below the earth’s surface in a 100-year-old former opal mine. Over the past 23 years, former Royal Marine and deep-sea diver Ron Canlin has etched countless artistic carvings into the walls of these opal caves. From native animals to Lord of the Rings characters, dinosaurs and more, this unique experience is like the Mount Rushmore of the outback.  

Chambers of the Black Hand, Lightning Ridge

Afternoon 

More creativity awaits at the John Murray Art Gallery. The artist left the city for a life in Lightning Ridge and his realist paintings capture outback NSW with vibrant colour and quirky scenes. Murray is the artist behind the town’s unofficial mascot, Stanley the Emu – look for the statue of Stanley on the highway into town or his smiling face painted on local walls. 

You can’t end a holiday without a souvenir to remind you of your weekend away — hunt down some beautiful bling at designer opal jewellery shops Down to Earth Opals and Lost Sea Opals and pick out something special for your loved ones or a precious piece for yourself. 

Down to Earth Opals, Lightning Ridge

Evening 

Finish your journey with one final dinner at Nobbie’s Bar and Grill, inside the Lightning Ridge Outback Resort. Farewell this isolated outpost where glittering black opals, technicolour sunsets and ancient artesian waters bring colour to the endless desert. 

Outback Opal Tours, Lightning Ridge

Getting there: 

Lightning Ridge is in one of the most northerly parts of the NSW Outback, close to the Queensland border, so you can expect a bit of a journey to get there. From Sydney and Canberra, the drive is around nine hours or eight hours from Brisbane. Alternatively, you can fly to Moree and hire a car for the three-hour drive to Lightning Ridge. A 4WD is recommended for unsealed roads and for visiting many of the national parks in the region.