The first people to discover opal at Lightning Ridge were undoubtedly the Yuwaalaraay, Gamilaraay and other First Nations people. Commercially, the opal mining boom was kick-started in 1901 by the identification of “black opal” which hitherto was unknown in Australia. Within a few years, thousands of men had arrived and set up residential camps, workshops and even a post office & school on the early fields of Sims Hill and Three Mile.

Check out the original miner’s cottages easily accessible in Morilla Street including the Historical Society and immerse in our varied art offerings – ‘Ridge Style!’