Towns to Explore

Towns to Explore include, Collarenebri, Walgett, Burren Junction, Carinda, Rowena, Come by Chance and Grawin Opal Fields

Explore Collarenebri

Located on the Barwon River and a little over an hour east on a dirt road, or an hour and 20 minutes on the sealed road when you leave from Lightning Ridge Colly (as the locals call it) is famous for its Cod Fishing and the town overflows every year with people come for a wide to chase a “Colly Cod” It has an RV Friendly Campground. Check out the Tattersalls Hotel while you’re there.

Explore Walgett

Seventy-Five kilometres south of Lightning Ridge lies the town of Walgett. It’s where the Namoi and Barwon Rivers meet. Like Colly Walgett is a popular fishing spot. You can take stroll along the Tracker Walford Walkway, visit the Freedom Ride Park and check out the giant Jimmy Little artwork memorialising one of Australia’s most well-known Aboriginal country music singers.

Explore Burren Junction

On the edge of the Walgett Shire one hour and forty-five minutes southwest of Lightning Ridge lies the town of Burren Junction. Tourists are drawn here to soak in the warn artesian spring located minutes from the town. There’s free camping at the spring and the town has a fabulous café and an inviting country pub.

Explore Carinda

Carinda’s claim to fame is it’s the location where the film clip for David Bowie’s Lets Dance was filmed. Bowie fans flock to the town every year to re-enact scenes from the 1983 music video. Every year during the October long weekend Carinda host a Let’s Dance Festival.

Explore Rowena

Rowena is a former railway town where wheat and cotton were a familiar site. Sadly the station is now closed, and all of the action is at the Rowena Hotel. There is a campground, a few rooms, with visitors enjoying a night in front of the fire after the kids have expended all their energy at the pub’s small playground. Once a year Rowena host an old school “Cracker Night”, drawing thousands of people, it’s popular with visitors and locals alike.

Explore Come by Chance

A town near the top of the of unusual place names. With a population of just 125 people its name dates to some settlers finding an unallocated piece of land, demonstrating their tremendous, good luck. Located 130km south of Lightning Ridge it was originally named after a local sheep station. Its claim to fame now is the annual picnic races, filling the town with visitors and locals alike, all looking to experience a good old country race meet.

Explore Grawin Opal Fields

Made up of three principal areas take a drive out to Grawin, Glengarry and Sheepyard to see what mining looked like in the good old days.

Here, most opals are discovered wedged between layers of opal bearing clay and stone, known as seam opals. The landscape is much more rugged in this part of the world and is noticeably different from Lightning Ridge.