Black Opal Tours
Black Opal Tours
4.5
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Explore the opal fields with friendly guides who are experienced opal miners Free pickup from your accomodation Complimentary Devonshire Tea! Go inside Fred Bodel’s, Lightning Ridge’s most treasured old mining camp – open only to Black Opal tours Famous Lunatic Hill open cut Exclusive to Black Opal Tours opal dirt processing site with the largest Opal agitator ever built (weather permitting)
Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
109 reviews
Excellent
86
Very good
18
Average
4
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Peter S
3 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Thanks Tracy for a very informative town tour. So much information and so expertly given. Then finishing of with the Black Hands Tour was the highlight.
Written 12 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jilljake
Australia30 contributions
Mar 2023
Very knowledgeable and likeable driver, ran fantastic commentary as we were driven around for the morning.
Local born and bred knowledge of opals and mining was fantastIc, together with insights into her early childhood, mining and growing up experiences were first class.
Care of travelers very evident, above and beyond what was expected.
Opportunities to fossick on number of occasions with help to spot poch was very good.
Morning tea Devonshire Tea disappointing quality.
Opportunity to purchase opals at a low pressure outlet.
Pick up and Return to accommodation.
Highly Recommended
Local born and bred knowledge of opals and mining was fantastIc, together with insights into her early childhood, mining and growing up experiences were first class.
Care of travelers very evident, above and beyond what was expected.
Opportunities to fossick on number of occasions with help to spot poch was very good.
Morning tea Devonshire Tea disappointing quality.
Opportunity to purchase opals at a low pressure outlet.
Pick up and Return to accommodation.
Highly Recommended
Written 31 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dianne B
Sunbury, Australia10 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
We don't normally do tours and tend to potter round by ourselves, but glad we chose to do a half day town tour with Black Opal. Pauline picked us up promptly at our caravan park and showed us around her town that she grew up in. What a great experience! We learnt so much about the town that she is obviously very proud of. We learnt that Lightning Ridge has a great community spirit and people band together to get things done! We heard stories that you can only hear from a local. Would definitely recommend doing.
Written 12 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter R
Maroochydore, Australia2,419 contributions
Aug 2022
This was a great tour group to see lighting ridge and the surrounds. You got a good overview of the town and the history
Written 23 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
earthwindwater
Scone, Australia37 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Town tour was good but some of it irrelevant to tourists (friends names, industrial businesses etc).
The driver was not the best at customer service and conversation, could be quite abrupt and it got awkward at times.
Felt like he was going through the motions and had lots the passion for tourism (and tolerance for kids).
It was a rainy day, so all the bus windows were fogged up but no attempt at wiping them prior so we could see out. I shared a packet of tissues around so we could.
Devonshire scones were average but the hot tea was nice.
The opal cutting demonstration was rushed, lacked enthusiasm and patience for questions.
The ladies at their shop were so lovely, great customer service and engagement.
The driver was not the best at customer service and conversation, could be quite abrupt and it got awkward at times.
Felt like he was going through the motions and had lots the passion for tourism (and tolerance for kids).
It was a rainy day, so all the bus windows were fogged up but no attempt at wiping them prior so we could see out. I shared a packet of tissues around so we could.
Devonshire scones were average but the hot tea was nice.
The opal cutting demonstration was rushed, lacked enthusiasm and patience for questions.
The ladies at their shop were so lovely, great customer service and engagement.
Written 8 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave
1 contribution
Jun 2022 • Couples
Had a great tour with Pauline, who has lived in the ridge for over 30 years. Would highly recommend!
She showed us so many interesting places and brought out the community spirit of an amazing town history.
She showed us so many interesting places and brought out the community spirit of an amazing town history.
Written 6 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynne H
Sydney, Australia158 contributions
May 2022
We thought this was an excellent way of learning about Lightning Ridge. Alan, our guide, picked us up in his mini-bus on time at our accommodation and gave a very informative commentary. He had many stories about the interesting characters and history of the area. We visited all the "sights" except the underground mine as it was too wet. We toured all the "car door" settlements, the Bottle House, Lunatic Hill and Amigo's Castle. We also enjoyed morning tea of scones, jam and cream at their "office" (an old railway carriage) where Alan gave a short demonstration of polishing stones. We were dropped back at our B&B after the 3 hour trip. It was a great tour and I would highly recommend doing it at the start of your visit to Lightning Ridge.
Written 28 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jocelyn J
Launceston11 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
What a fun four hours we had with Pauline! Picked up right on time, Pauline kept us entertained with stories of ‘The Ridge’ and her knowledge of the area. We saw some interesting places and viewed the walk in mine. A great way to spend the morning.
Written 27 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wayne J
2 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
Great 4 hour tour with insight into the ridge and opal mining,Pauline our driver was awesome heaps of loval knowledge
Written 26 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David W
Victoria, Australia2 contributions
Apr 2022
Pauline was a great guide with great first hand knowledge. Thoroughly enjoyed the 4 hour tour with other guests and morning tea was terrific.
Written 7 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rhonda C
Kalaru, Australia1 contribution
How much is the tour?
Lyn B
Greater Sydney, Australia38 contributions
Full day cost $125 or $120 seniors per person
Worth the money as it includes pick up drop off morning scones n tea n hot lunch. We also travelled quite a distance much of it on unsealed roads. Commentary was very knowledgeable esp about drivers background n her family’s ongoing knowledge of their mining experience in LR
