Lightning Ridge is famous for its black opal, the rarest and most valuable of the opal colours, in fact it has become known as the black opal capital of the world.
Chris, our friend has promised us a day tour of his private opal mine in outback NSW, near Lightning Ridge.We arrange to meet Chris and Denise for breakfast at Monillas Cafe in the Ridge, (that’s the locals affectionate name for the town) the food was great, even if it was a bit cool outside. We then follow Chris and Denise the 40kms out to his own private opal mine. He takes us to his camp which is a couple of caravans set up with added wood stove in the tin shed attached between them, wash up facilities, with water from the tank and surrounded by old machinery and vehicles that are well past their use by date. The buildings and equipment are all recycled, nothing is thrown away, there is so much land around the camp so that it is easier just to abandon an item than pay for it to be disposed of .
far'n'wide travel 