Lightening Ridge (358km / 4997km)

Lightening Ridge gets the prize for the quirkiest place of our trip. Arriving there after a beautiful drive with lovely wild yellow flowers and an interesting town where we picnicked for lunch. Brewarrina had an incredible fish trap system in the Barwon River which had been built by aboriginals 4000 years ago. We marvelled at the system, and the pelicans who were also visiting while we ate our lunch. Lightening Ridge is an opal mining and fossicking town where the mining leases (50m x 50m) are all owned by individuals seeking their fortune, living in small tin houses reminiscent of old movies. It is home to the well renowned outback artist, John Murray, whose artwork we saw everywhere on our trip. We visited a small underground mine and learnt about opal mining.Read more