Lightning Ridge

Lightning Ridge is one of the many opal towns in New South Wales, but it is special because of the rare Black Opal, a dark stone with flecks of red, blue and green, that can be found here. The town has a population of about 1,800 people and is located in the outback area of NSW, some 760 km north-west of Sydney. It has very hard and rough living conditions, with its scorching summer heat and dry surroundings. Professional prospector Charles Nettleton discovered the opal-mining potential of the area in 1902 and the mining industry has stayed active in the town ever since. There are several various things to do around the area, like digging for opals or playing a round of golf on a course set on an old opal field with sand instead of finely cut green grass.