Lightning Ridge
Lightning Ridge
4.4
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.4
243 reviews
Excellent
148
Very good
63
Average
19
Poor
7
Terrible
6
Dreamer56545224451
2 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
Really enjoyed exploring Lightning Ridge. The sunset at the end of the Green Car Door tour was beautiful. The other unexpected delight was the Black Queen tour of a private bottle house on the Red Car Door tour. This is only available from Easter to June so not mentioned on official itinerary, but it was well sign posted and meeting the host and tour guide Gail and hearing her stories of the house was fascinating. The Artesian bath was also an interesting experience - it was much warmer than expected, but still worth a dip!
Written May 2, 2024
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.
Gardengirl212
Sydney, Australia1,954 contributions
Mar 2022
Lightning Ridge was not part of our original itinerary but so glad we decided to add it.
We absolutely loved the place and the longer we stayed, the more we liked it. The people were wonderful too.
We stayed at the Opal Caravan Park, which we highly recommend and did all our shopping at Khan's IGA, which among everything we bought, Khan's eye fillet was the absolute BEST we've ever tasted. It cooked up perfectly and just melted in the mouth. It was so good, we went back and bought more.
Will certainly revisit Lightning Ridge and do all the things we didn't get time to do.
We absolutely loved the place and the longer we stayed, the more we liked it. The people were wonderful too.
We stayed at the Opal Caravan Park, which we highly recommend and did all our shopping at Khan's IGA, which among everything we bought, Khan's eye fillet was the absolute BEST we've ever tasted. It cooked up perfectly and just melted in the mouth. It was so good, we went back and bought more.
Will certainly revisit Lightning Ridge and do all the things we didn't get time to do.
Written April 4, 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.
C...
Gippsland, Australia94,982 contributions
Sep 2022
It's a barren landscape out in this part of the country but it's a place that you really need to put on your bucket list. There are things in Lightning Ridge that you are unlikely to see elsewhere. What is utterly amazing about the place is their ingenious ability to recycle/reuse and recreate everything. Nothing is wasted.
What is it that Dorothy said once, "We are a long way from Kansas, Toto". Or something like that. Well Lightning Ridge is ridgy didge outback! This is the real thing... nothing is hidden, nothing is going to be what you will find anywhere else.
What is it that Dorothy said once, "We are a long way from Kansas, Toto". Or something like that. Well Lightning Ridge is ridgy didge outback! This is the real thing... nothing is hidden, nothing is going to be what you will find anywhere else.
Written October 15, 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.
starmagnolia
Sydney404 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
Watch the sun set whilst bathing in the steaming bore bath, or better still, greet the new day submerged in the therapeutic waters rich with minerals ennervating your body ahead for a day of exploration.
Next, be sure to see the wildest offerings of this opal town. On the list, strange buildings such as The Astronomers Monument, The Beer Can House, some Bottle Houses and a couple of Castles.
Then get down, underground. There are 3 mines to choose, or choose them all at about $80 entry all up. My choice, The Walk In Mine.
In this town you find history, quirky, eccentricity; you'll find the unique, just like every opal, which there will be several good examples in some of the better boutique shops. Of these, I recommend The Opal Bin and Lost Sea.
Children will get much geology and a little astronomy with some effort, not to mention Australian cultural history.
Four night should do it, enough to cover it all. It's not a pretty town, but a rich town, and not just because of the value of the opal, but value in rough, rugged beauty. Go for it. It's my second visit in 20 years. I had to return after my first very memorable one.
Next, be sure to see the wildest offerings of this opal town. On the list, strange buildings such as The Astronomers Monument, The Beer Can House, some Bottle Houses and a couple of Castles.
Then get down, underground. There are 3 mines to choose, or choose them all at about $80 entry all up. My choice, The Walk In Mine.
In this town you find history, quirky, eccentricity; you'll find the unique, just like every opal, which there will be several good examples in some of the better boutique shops. Of these, I recommend The Opal Bin and Lost Sea.
Children will get much geology and a little astronomy with some effort, not to mention Australian cultural history.
Four night should do it, enough to cover it all. It's not a pretty town, but a rich town, and not just because of the value of the opal, but value in rough, rugged beauty. Go for it. It's my second visit in 20 years. I had to return after my first very memorable one.
Written June 15, 2020
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.
Jamie E
1 contribution
Dec 2020 • Family
So we travelled for 3 hrs to see a mining town that said all would be all open to find most of the tourism stores and museums closed. then we find out from the locals that during holiday seasons most of the town leaves and close's up. If thats not bad enough then there are mabye 4 places to eat beyond the bowls club. While the menu for the ( LOST SEA ) is small and unappealing the ( gourmet geeko ) is shocking as they dont do fish and chips. We ordered rasin bread toasties and recieved bread and butter toasted sandwich not a single raisin to be seen. Also a BLT ordered and we found the bacon to be mostly fat and the bread to be stail we will not be re visiting and strongly suggest loooking elsewhere to visit.
Written December 28, 2020
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.
Geoff S
Toowoomba, Australia3 contributions
Apr 2021
Many, if not all the town murals have been done by local artist John Murray depicting Aussie outback scenes and humour.
A town to put on your bucket list. Pete's opals also great visit with no pressure to buy.
A town to put on your bucket list. Pete's opals also great visit with no pressure to buy.
Written April 29, 2021
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.
Louise
11 contributions
Oct 2020 • Solo
I was there for 4 days and covered pretty much everything. The history was fascinating and I thoroughly recommend taking a tour or the town just doesn’t make sense.
There are so many activities for families that you’ll need a week. With visiting mines, fossicking, multiple pools, skateboard park, walks and dirt golfing, the time will fly by.
Don’t go in summer unless you really like the heat of 35 + and take a jumper as the nights are quite cool.
There are so many activities for families that you’ll need a week. With visiting mines, fossicking, multiple pools, skateboard park, walks and dirt golfing, the time will fly by.
Don’t go in summer unless you really like the heat of 35 + and take a jumper as the nights are quite cool.
Written October 20, 2020
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.
Marcia
Sydney, Australia243 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
What a fascinating place to visit. It’s full of history and character. Recommend in doing a tour of the opal mines so you can have a true understanding and find out a lot about the history and the famous black opal. We left Lightning ridge appreciating the place for what it is and it’s quirkiness.
Written August 4, 2020
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.
Travel_addict13_10
Australia646 contributions
Sep 2022 • Family
Lightning Ridge is certainly worth a visit. It is such an eclectic mixture of attractions and nothing like the traditional outback Australian town. We stayed at Blueys Motel which was good value for money. We enjoyed the car tours but our favourite was the Orange tour. It’s starting point is 45 minutes out of town so you need a good half day at least to enjoy it but certainly worth it. The Sheepyard Inn and the Glengarry Hilton are both iconic Australiana and great stops on the Orange Car Door tour. The town has two excellent Italian restaurants, art galleries and a large IGA. A great place to visit and see the working mines and the mining communities around the town’s outskirts.
Written September 17, 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.
Tudor S
Sydney, Australia86 contributions
Oct 2020 • Solo
I've been coming the the Ridge since I was a child, the last time however, was over 20yrs ago & apart from there being a lot less pubs, I don't think much has changed and that pleases me.
There is a small attempt to cash in on the tourist market but I think COVID-19 has much to do with that as there are only self guided tours, many on dirt tracks so as a rider, I've been left somewhat limited to the townships historic sites which filled a day.
I'll be back, hopefully sooner that 20yrs.
There is a small attempt to cash in on the tourist market but I think COVID-19 has much to do with that as there are only self guided tours, many on dirt tracks so as a rider, I've been left somewhat limited to the townships historic sites which filled a day.
I'll be back, hopefully sooner that 20yrs.
Written October 5, 2020
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.
We are looking at coming to lightning ridge 2019, i think, not sure how long we should stay, what there is to do in the area, we know that there a few caravan parks which will be needed for power. What and how long is the car door tour, can you buy lunch along the way or do we need to pack a lunch instead.
Written April 3, 2018
Hi, there is a caravan park opposite the hot springs (which is recommended especially at the time you are thinking of going) which seems popular for campers. The car door tour is broken up into sections and you can make it as long or as short as you want to depending on whether you stop to look at sites or go on a tour through a previously working cave. There are no shops on the tours but they are not far from town so recommend having lunch there or take lunch. The tours are spread out through the town so you can plan to end up in town for lunch anyway. There is a cafe on the right as you come into town which makes a good coffee and nice food. If you call into the visitor info centre you can gets car door tour maps and info on the town and special interest shops there. It is a very interesting place like no other we have seen with the multitude of small mine lots and the temporary camp sites. Enjoy!
Written May 18, 2018
Is it too far to walk these circuits rather than self-drive ?
Written April 29, 2017
Depends on your fitness, but the tours are designed to be driven I suppose.
Written May 16, 2017
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