LIGHTNING RIDGE Lightning Ridge is an opal tourist town just 70k’s south of the Qld border and nearly 80k’s north of Walgett. Lightning Ridge is a very progressive tourist destination that requires advance bookings for accommodation before proceeding to this very remote destination. From a tourist perspective the southern winter is the high season for the town. Opal mining and fossicking plus opal retailing are the main economic drivers, but the town also has other tourist offers. Lightning Ridge is a world epicentre of the mining of black opals and other opal gemstones. Lightning Ridge has the largest known deposits of black opals in the world. Given these are ‘recent’ discoveries Lightning Ridge is a relatively young town. Lightning Ridge has abundant hot water from a bore spring into the Great Artesian Basin and offers two hot water pools for bathing. The minerals make the water very healthy for external use and drinking. The public can tap mineral water at a hose in Harlequin Street. The Hot Artesian Bore Baths and Nettleton’s Shaft, on McDonald's Six Mile Opal Field have been placed on the Register of the National Estate. A small number of modern churches operate. The Hotel is of a modern configuration. The War Memorial is located in Lions Park. The museum is a rustic offer in the main street. If you propose to do some fossiking allow a three day visit? Lightning Ridge is a very interesting place and well worth the journey or diversion.