Address & Contact
1 Opal St
Lightning Ridge NSW 2834
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Lightning Ridge is a famous opal mining town located in outback New South Wales, around 70km north of
Walgett and only 6km off the Castlereagh Highway. The town has a
population of some 1,826 people and lies next to the world’s richest deposits of black opal - the most valuable and widely known type of opal.
Lightning Ridge offers plenty to see and do including: natural hot artesian
bore baths, artist shops, a water theme park, the interesting bottle house, and of course - trying your hand at opal
fossicking!!
Lightning Ridge hosts the annual Goat Race in the town's main street and a rodeo on the
Easter long weekend. What makes the goat race appealing is that the goats are harnessed and driven by children, much like harness racing in equine sports. The Goat races are accompanied by wheelie-bin races, and horse races the following day.
Lightning Ridge and its surrounds feature a diverse range of native wildlife including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, echidnas, possums, an abundant range of reptiles, and even rare Australian birds.