Lightning Ridge part 1

Such a busy tourist destination this is. Lightning Ridge is an opal mining area in central northern NSW. Unlike Coober Pedy it’s an above-ground town. It’s a mix of old town and ‘new’. Some people live in ‘temporary’ dwellings on their 50m x 50m claims. Others live in the township, which has schools, library, hospital, huge swimming pool, arts centre etc. While there are still many individuals working their claims, and many leasing their claims out on a ‘share the spoils arrangement’, much of the mining has been commercialised and is off at Grawin to the south.
There have been, and still are, some colorful people here. It’s a really interesting place. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.