LIGHTNING RIDGE
SIX DAY YOUR - 2nd August - 7th August 2021
Day 2 Monday 13 May MOREE TO LIGHTNING RIDGE Meals Included (BLD)
Following breakfast we make our way along the Gwydir Highway through to Lightning Ridge. Upon arrival we have lunch at the Outback Resort then collect our local guide for a tour of town. With its stark and scarred landscape this town has a peculiar fascination for visitors. During our tour we’ll view an open cut mine, see the Bore Baths and Coopers Cottage. This authentic miner’s camp was built in 1916 and is a genuine historical display of early pioneer living. After our wonderful day we check into our accommodation – home base for the next three nights (breakfast & dinner in motel / lunch at hotel). |
Day 4 Wednesday 15 May LIGHTNING RIDGE Meals Included (BLD)
No trip to Lightning Ridge would be complete without a trip to The Grawin **. We’ll see interesting places like The Pub in the Scrub, The Glengarry Hilton and Sheepyard Flats. Located about 70km west of Lightning Ridge, The Grawin was established in 1908 with the discovery of the opal at "Hammond Hill". Further discoveries in 1920 at "Richards Hill" put the unofficial village on the map. It was at Grawin that the largest opal 'Light of the World' was found in 1928. Since the first discovery of opal in the region, people have come and gone in tides with each new strike, seeking their fortune in search of the rainbow in the rock. It is believed that a field at Grawin was discovered in 1905 but it wasn’t until the 1970s that it became a major field in its own right. The Mulga Rush, which began in 2000, is the biggest opal rush since the Coocoran was discovered in the early 1900s. The Sheepyard area was named after a find of opal near the fence of the old Sheepyards. A local guide will join us on our day’s tour and lunch is enjoyed at the Glengarry Hilton. .After a great day we head back to Lightning Ridge. We have one last stop to make at Bevans Cactus Farm. Started in 1966 and now encompassing two passionate generations, Bevan’s host the largest cactus nursery in the Southern Hemisphere with approximately 2,500 young and aged varieties. Grown from seeds collected from around the world, many plants are now over 100 years old, with the oldest being nearly 150 years of age (breakfast & dinner in motel / lunch on tour). ** Please Note: Today’s Touring depends on local weather and road conditions** |
Day 5 Thursday 16 May LIGHTNING RIDGE TO ST GEORGE Meals Included (BLD)
We farewell “the Ridge” this morning and travel north along Castlereagh Highway, cross the Queensland border and continue through Hebel. We’ll pass through the cotton-growing area of Dirranbandi and on to St George, located on the banks of the Balonne River. The town was named by Major Thomas Mitchell who crossed the river on St George’s Day in April 1846. A special lunch today at a well known outback pub for lunch. This afternoon we join Sandytown River Cruises for an enjoyable tour along the Balonne River. We then check into our accommodation and relax prior to dinner (breakfast & dinner in motel / lunch at outback pub) |