Lightning Ridge – it’s the jewel of the outback. Who cares about the opals?

The word on the Gray’pe vine  was “You’ll book in for two days and end up staying five.” Right we said. What’s there to see in Lightning Ridge?


Astronomy Shrine

Amigo's Castle

Well , apart from the obvious shops selling opals, opals and more opals there is so   much more to see. Tourism is alive and well here in the Ridge but it’s not the kind of touristy things  that you get anywhere else.



Fred's House

First there is the “Car Door Tours” – 4 self guided, self drive tours each a different colour that takes you to some amazing places in the area. This morning we did the green car door tour. Took about an hour but we saw where  the first mine was dug  in Lightning Ridge (1902), some crazy “houses”, the ridge where the lightning strikes  (hence the name of the town) and a “cultural” landscape that has to be seen to be believed.


Then here are the Artesian Pools – constant 41 degrees, open 24 hours, in the middle of nowhere. Amazing.  Hope we are here long enough to get the chance to spend some time there.

On our bus tour this afternoon, we were given a glimpse into the lives of all of the eccentric people who live or have lived here -the Polish man who built a shrine to astronomy,  Fred the opal miner who lived a very simple life in a tin shack fossicking ( he did find opals worth $40 million in today’s currency)  and the man who has started to build a castle but who will never complete it. Later we went underground into the Black Hand. It’s hard to describe an underground sculpture gallery – you just have to see it for yourself.  All of the tunnels (opal mining tunnels ) have been transformed into sculptures with more being done each day by the artist. Themes from animals to politicians, ancient Egypt to Aboriginal Dreamtime, the last supper and superheroes adorn the walls of the tunnels.  Incredible!  



Is that you Michael?



A hug for the invisible man

Me old mate Bob

Super Man!!

Tribute to the fallen

The Fab Four

 

 



Weight Watchers here I come

The Last Supper

What more could there be?  The Black Queen of course. For $30, you can have a two hour  theatrical performance about the life of the original owner of the house  (The Black Queen) by the current owner of the house, Gale,  and  where each act of the  performance takes place in one of the rooms of her house (hand built using bottles , rocks and cement by the Black Queen herself.) As well, Gale offers an amazing tour of her antique light museum included in the price. Here you can hold a 4 thousand year old lamp in your hand, learn amazing things about lamps and lights throughout  the centuries whilst looking at or holding the lights.  You can’t really explain in words what you see and hear. Her stories are so rich and interesting. Very hard to beat!  Your ticket also includes free entry into the museum and gift shop the next day. 

Antique Light show

Who cares about the opals? They’re probably sourced  from somewhere else  in Australia and set in 10 or 14 carat gold overseas. (Apparently  the carats give them away.)  Lightning Ridge is the only place in the world where black opal is found  so you can be pretty sure that the product is local. But unfortunately,  I can’t afford black opal. However,  the other jewels of the area are well within my budget and worth every cent.

Barbed Wire, Burra, My Brother Jack and the Bucket List

I’ve often wished I collected something. Some people collect owls, others postcards or shot glasses. Pete collects stubby holders although he has stopped due to the fact that he already has too many.   I’ve never really found anything that took my fancy.   And why would anyone  collect Barbed Wire? Don’t know really but the publican at Spalding in South Australia does.

We had heard about the collection from friends and the tourist brochures all said it was worth a look so we ventured to Spalding one rainy morning.  There is little else in the town but the pub so when we discovered that the pub didn’t open until midday there was some dilemma as to what to do for the next hour. Luckily, the Barbed Wire Collection in the Pub was open so we ventured in.  The collection is amazing and the publican tells us that he owns a copy of the Barbed Wire Collectors Encyclopaedia!!! Pete even found a sample of the Barbed Wire that the Germans used in WW1 – the wire that the Aussies couldn’t cut as it was so thick.  I will take much more notice of barbed wire in future. Maybe I’ll start a little collection and see what happens. 

Burra was a much busier place with a few shops, a great bakery that had yummy hot pies and coffee and a drive yourself tour of the Historical Sites – remnants of the late 1900’s when copper was mined there. We managed to dodge the showers and walk around the town for a while before taking  the historical self drive tour.

In the afternoon, we met up with Jack (not my brother but Pete’s cousin Father Jack Otto who is a Jesuit Priest living at Sevenhills. - took a bit of poetic licence there – apologies Jack!)  Sevenhills is an historic winery started by the Jesuits in the late 1800’s and still operates as a winery today.  Jack took us on a tour of the winery and after some tasting, we purchased some wine (how unusual)  and received  the Jesuit discount!!  Jack also took us around the historic grounds, through St Aloysius Church, into the crypt  and the Jesuit Retreat centre (which was previously a boarding school for boys) where Jack now  lives.  Later, after drinking some more wine (courtesy of Brother John who has lived there for over 30 years and was the wine maker for many of those), we ventured down to the Sevenhills Pub for dinner. When we arrived, we were the only ones in the restaurant but by the time we left, the place was packed. Must have been because the food was really good.

It’s time for happy hour. I shall pour myself a drink and think about what I might collect. Wine Glasses – yes, I already have a considerable collection at home and can now add one from Sevenhills Winery to the two that I bought from Bonus Downs  earlier in the trip. Done! Of course I’ll also have to start collecting wine to go in the glasses. Shouldn’t be too much of a problem. 

Bucket List

Big Red  -Tick

Birdsville Track  -Tick

Wilpena Pound  -Tick

Flinders Ranges  - Tick

Sky Trek - Tick

Coober Pedy  - Opals Purchased - Tick

Broken Hill  - Tick

Wine Glass Collection  - TBA