02 6829 1383 Fossickers Cottages bookings at Lost Sea Opals 2 Morilla St, Lightning Ridge NSW 2834

Things To Do

Experience Lightning Ridge

THINGS TO SEE  and  ADVENTURES TO SEEK.

So many things to see and do whilst enjoying your stay at Fossickers Cottages.

*Take a day or night time dip in the Hot Artesian baths, famous for their soothing mineral rich waters.

*Call in and see us at Lost sea opals, we will show and tell you all about the beautiful Black opal we love so much. Meet Jeweller and designer Jo Lindsay and see why our hand made jewellery pieces are so treasured by so many around Australia and around the world. We have a large range of ready made jewellery to suit any budget and are always ready to create a new design just the way you like and just for you.

*Follow the colourful car door tours around the old town opal fields and see how Black opal miners live now and glimpse a bit of how it was in the past. Brightly coloured old car doors are placed along the track to guide you to various places of interest. (There are Four different tours to take with another in the making for Grawin Opal Fields)

*Find your way on the Green car door tour to the first shaft lookout and marvel at the very first hand dug opal prospecting shaft in the Ridge, sunk by Charlie Nettleton in the early 1900’s.

*Take your time and relax as you complete the walk around the stone labyrinth.

* Check out the fantastic Beer Can House with its beautiful coloured bottle windows and inventive old mining gear on display.

* Bring along dinner and refreshments and enjoy the big wide sunsets from the first shaft lookout.

*Head out on a day trip to The working Opal Fields of Grawin, Glengarry and Sheepyard (one hour drive through to Cumborah then Grawin) meet the locals and Try some Opal fossicking (you never know your luck!)

*Have lunch and refreshments at “The Glengarry Hilton” or “The Sheepyard Inn” or try a round of Golf and then the bistro at the “Club in the scrub”.

*Go and have some wet and wild fun at the water theme park or do some laps in the Olympic sized pool. (Seasonal, check times with visitors centre)

*Have a dip or a dive in the heated Aquatic centre and learn about the amazing town spirit that brought to life this fantastic complex. (Check times with visitors centre)

*Visit the Arts and Craft Council Gallery and see the work of talented local artist on display and for sale. (Just around the corner from the Aquatic Centre)

*Play Cricket or Tennis or Basket/Net Ball or kick the footie around at the Sports field (Five minute walk from Fossickers cottages)

*Go underground in a tourist mine get an understanding of life as an Opal Miner.

*See the bronze life sized statue of Charlie Nettleton, sinker of the first shaft, by well known Sculptor Brett Garling at the Historical Society Cottage. When you see Charlie make sure you rub the tin of black opal in his top pocket for luck!

*Tour the Historical Society Heritage Cottage and experience the opal mining history and everyday life of the inventive old characters of “the Ridge” present and past.

*Visit the Australian Opal Centre, wonder and learn about opal fossils, the rarest and most beautiful fossils in the world.

*Find the “The Old Town” and old time miner Fred Bodells camp on the Three Mile Flat.(yellow car door tour)

*Peer into the Big Open Cut mine on Lunatic Hill and learn about the underground Strata and how much work opal miners will do in their search for the elusive Black Opal.

*Call in and see Paul Bird at the “Bird of Paradise” art gallery on the Three Mile opal field. Take in the colour and whimsy of life on the fields and take home some truly great Australian art.

*Photograph the old church film set, used in the movie “Goddess of ’67” on the Four Mile opal field.

*Wonder at the feat of human determination when you visit Amigos’ Castle a dedicated architectural labour of love. (Red Car Door Tour)

*Get a new perspective on “life and the universe” when you observe the Astronomers Monument. (Red car door tour)

*Get a load of Stanley, local artist John Murray’s tribute to Volkswagen Beetles and very large birds! (Castlereagh Highway) and don’t forget to see both Vicky and Johns colourful and insightful works at their gallery on opal street.

*Head out for a days fishing at Collarenebri home of the Murray Cod. The Barwon River is regarded as one of the best inland fishing locations in N.S.W. After you have caught a couple of “Yellow Belly” or the sought after “Murray Cod”, why not have a swim, go canoeing or try skiing on the beautiful Barwon River

*Stop at our friendly Visitors Centre to find out more about the many other things to experience in Lightning Ridge, Home of the Black Opal.  (02) 68291 670

*Simply relax and enjoy your private gardens and comfortable surrounds. Maybe catch up on some reading, listen to some music or just sit back, relax and listen to the birds chirping in the trees. (Native bird seed supplied on request)