17 June 2021 - Lightning Ridge

Day 8. 17 June 2021

Lightning Ridge

Another relaxing day - I think I can get use to this retirement game. It was a much cooler start to the day, and with the steady breeze it felt much cooler than 18 Deg it was meant to reach. I only decided to start a blog after we left home, and I finally caught up this morning.  I'm finding it a great way to recall our experiences and it will come in handy for my photo books. 

After breakfast and some domestics, Noel and I set off for a stroll around town. We called into a few Opal stores and learned a lot about opals and in particular, the most rare and valuable Black Opal found at Lightning Ridge. We have found people here are very friendly, and most love a chat; each keen to tell their story about how they have ended up in Lightning Ridge. It really is an interesting place. 

After a nice coffee at Marillo’s cafe, a new cafe that is doing good business we continued our stroll to John Murray’s gallery for another visit. After five days in the Ridge, it is easy to see where he gets ideas and inspiration from. It really is a must see. Back to the van we went for lunch, then I headed out on my mountain bike for a ride through some of the towns surrounding mine fields, capping the day off with another soothing bath in the  41 degree Artesian Baths. Its been a fabulous visit to Lightning Ridge, and tomorrow we pack up and, all going well, head off to cross into QLD for a two-night stay at St George. 


Jack Murray Corner named after the first recorded opal miner (1901) with a collection of mining relics.
Jack Murray Corner

Learning about Opals from a new local resident

Coffee time - you won't see too many selfies.

A bronze sculpture of  Charlie Nettleton who sunk the first mine and founded the black opal industry at Lightning Ridge.

More colourful street art 

and more colour

amazing John Murray work on a local building

The Bougainvillea in Lightning Ridge is stunning

and more street art

A return visit to John Murray's gallery

An afternoon ride through the Opal fields

Relics aplenty 

more relics

Heading up into the fields
 
Another dirt track

One of the Red Car Door Tour signs leading to Amigos Castle

Amigos Castle

Amigos Castle based on Italian ruins and built on a mining lease 

Amigos Castle


Comments

  1. HippofarmerJune 17, 2021 at 9:56 PM

    Have loved reliving our time there, through your words and pics, in 2016 when we headed West , all the way West. LR is a great place to stop and explore. Keep up the blogs, it's nice to read and see how others see places to give you insight as to what to do next time you're there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SueCJune 24, 2021 at 6:48 PM

    Your visit to Lightening Ridge was amazing. Definitely thinking it’s worth a visit

    ReplyDelete

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