Today we spent our time travelling around the various areas in
Lightning Ridge. We used their car door tour guide which is a series of maps and instructions you get for $1 at the
Tourist Information. To assist finding your way around there are a series of car doors painted in the desired tours colour with numbers on them so you know where you are on the map. We also visited the artesian baths but decided they were too hot for a swim.
After lunch we went on a tour of a
mine called the “Chambers of the Black Hand”. This is a
mine that has been around for a long time and the current owner has taken upon himself to organise tours through the
mine and to add interest he has carved amazing sculptures into the
sandstone above the opal bearing dirt. They also have a large collection of opal jewellery for sale.
We capped off the day with a swim in the caravan parks swimming
pool before dinner.
![Site of the first shaft dug at Lightning Ridge]()
Site of the first shaft dug at Lightning Ridge
![Plaque at site of first shaft]()
Plaque at site of first shaft
![An early open cut opal mine on the 3 mile field]()
An early open cut opal mine on the 3 mile field
![hot artesian pool]()
hot artesian pool
![Black hand Mine 20 Metres underground]()
Black hand Mine 20 Metres underground
![Peter the guide explaining the workings at the opal dirt level]()
Peter the guide explaining the workings at the opal dirt level
![Chooky with a very large carving of Budah]()
Chooky with a very large carving of Budah