Outback oddity at Lightning Ridge

AUTHOR Nicole Alexander joins people trying their luck in finding opal in the historic town which also has fossils that are millions of years old.

Lightning ridge Escape

THE name Lightning Ridge is said to have originated in the 1870s when the bodies of a grazier, his dog and 600 sheep were found, thought to have been struck by lightning.

With such inauspicious beginnings, quirky seems a strange word to describe this northwest NSW town, yet there are car doors instead of street signs, a house made of bottles and a church that has never been used as a church. There is the miner who has been creating sandstone carvings 12m underground for the past 14 years and a castle awaiting a moat, among other oddities.

The Ridge, as it is fondly known, is less than two hours' drive from my property. The back roads via the NSW/Queensland border town of Mungindi are unsealed and are pure four-wheel-drive territory. However, the lightly timbered paddocks, abundant wildlife and grazing sheep more than compensate for the rough road.

I see no other vehicles as I head west and when scrub meets civilisation courtesy of a bitumen road and the Artesian Hot Baths, I know I've reached The Ridge. There is no signpost at this end of town, with visitors preferring the Castlereagh Highway route via Walgett.

Lightning Ridge is home to Australia's national gemstone, the opal, and has the largest known deposits of black opals and opal gemstones in the world. The gems were previously a favourite with the Asian market, but interest in pink and yellow diamonds has seen opal prices decrease substantially, despite the odd major find.

These days it is tourism that has brought prosperity back to the region.

The Lightning Ridge Visitor Information Centre is my first stop. Here I pick up a map of the area and head up Three Mile Rd to view old opal diggings, as well as a now obsolete open-cut mine. Brightly painted car doors hanging from trees provide directions as I pass piles of tailings from now defunct claims.

These myriad heaps with their antiquated mining machinery have been preserved, lending a desolate air to what is a cold, windy afternoon. Despite the weather, the miners I stop and chat with are generous with their time.

At The Ridge, they explain, locals still talk of the occasional "ratter" (mine thieves) and of what really happened out on Lunatic Hill.

While tales of murder, madness and great fortunes abound, the truth is somewhat more practical.

In the early 1900s, old-timers laughed at the miners on the hill who "bottomed" out their opal mines at 15m to 18m. With the average depth at the Three Mile Flat about 6m, it was considered that only lunatics would dig that deep for opal.

Visitors keen to try their luck can head to the free fossickers heap. Don't be perturbed if you see the odd person licking away at bits of stone. Moisture is required to sluice off dirt and highlight that elusive spark of colour.

The area is an important paleontological site, with fossils dating back to the Cretaceous period 110 million years ago. Rare finds of opalised fossils have been discovered by miners and can be seen at the Australian Opal Centre as well as a display of pioneering life.

Next door is the Chambers of the Black Hand. Twice-daily guided tours take visitors 4m underground to a series of catacomb-like rooms where dinosaurs, Chinese warriors and creatures from mythology emerge from the sandstone walls. It's taken miner Ron Canlin 14 years to complete the 500-plus carvings to date, a mammoth effort when his tools range from a jackhammer and small pick to cutlery from his kitchen.

An underground opal shop and a visit to a 100-year-old mine beneath the carvings complete the experience.

History buffs should head to the Historical Society and Heritage Cottage. The 1932 miner's cottage is decked out with some great memorabilia, while the 1916 Coopers Cottage authentically illustrates the living conditions of the mining pioneer. Both attractions are free.

At sunset, I head to the daily performance of Legacy at Black Queen  -  Theatre on the Ridge. This award-winning, three-act show weaves drama and history and treats the audience to the story of a house built with 14,000 coloured bottles.

There is also the opportunity to hold a 4500-year-old lamp in what is Australia's foremost antique lamp museum. The performance is billed as "an illuminating journey through the history of light" and is a great way to finish off a day's sightseeing.

A visit to the Hot Artesian Baths is my last stop.

On a pleasant walking track 2.4km from the wide streets of the town centre, the rich mineral waters are said to have therapeutic benefits.

The baths are unfenced, free and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and if you are partial to taking the waters, there is a new caravan park directly opposite.

Accommodation ranges from caravan parks and camping grounds, motels and B&Bs to the log fires and hearty food at the Lightning Ridge Outback Resort and caravan park. The tourists I spoke with were all on return visits and suggested a minimum three-day stay to make the most of the attractions in and beyond the town.

A day trip to the area comprising The Grawin, Glengarry and Sheepyard with the prospect of fossicking and a cold one at a bush pub was a highlight for many, while a night at the hugely popular Lightning Ridge RSL also rated special mention.

The best time to visit Lightning Ridge is April to October. It gets hot in this part of the world.

Next month, Lightning Ridge is celebrating its rich art community with a specially designed trail map.

- Details for ARTtober 2012 can be obtained from the Lightning Ridge Visitor Information Centre (Lions Park, Morilla St) or call 6829 1670.

-- Go2

- LIGHTNING RIDGE

- Getting there

Lightning Ridge is about 770km northwest of Sydney and 50km due south of the Queensland border.

The town is accessible by a fully sealed road as well as rail, bus and air.

There are several routes to The Ridge, including the Great Inland Way, which explores more than 3000km from Cairns to Melbourne; the Newell Highway; and self-drive holiday-makers can journey along the Fossickers Way.

The author Nicole Alexander is the author of Absolution Creek.

Her book is one of the 50 Books You Can't Put Down as part of this year's Get Reading! program.

More: See getreading.com.au

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