From underground galleries to thermal pools and wild outback art, these are the best things to do in the strange opal-mining town of Lightning Ridge, NSW.

The word “odd" isn’t enough to describe Lightning Ridge, a dusty NSW opal mining town in the state’s far-flung North West. Hand-painted signs advertising everything touristy possible run the length of the main drag into town, from the famous black opal stores to underground art caves. The entire place feels stuck in 1985, in the best way.

This is a tourist adventure for the curious and off-the-beaten-track type – a weird and wonderful place of outback art trails and tin shacks in the bush that call themselves pubs, thrown together with some surprisingly luxurious experiences like eye-watering sunsets and soaks in steaming artesian waters. Trust us, there are more things to do in Lightning Ridge than you probably think.

To round out your itinerary, we’ve also got you covered with our guide to the best places to stay and the best restaurants and cafes in town.

In short

If you only do one thing in Lightning Ridge, make a venture out to Grawin and its surrounding opal fields to have a beer at each of the three outback pubs. I’ve travelled all over Australia, but these ramshackle bars are by far the weirdest places I’ve downed a cold one. Start at Sheepyard Inn, then cruise across to the Glengarry Hilton. End your arvo at Club In The Scrub and park yourself up at one of the high tables to catch the sunset beautifully unfold across the outdoor seating area. Just have a designated driver prepped ahead of time!

Take a self-driving tour

Best for: First-time visitors, photographers

Out of all the things to do in Lightning Ridge, its famous Car Door Tours will give you the most bang for your buck. These self-driving routes are marked out with painted rusty car doors that have been nailed to posts. Confusing? You can pick up maps at the Visitor Information Centre to get a better idea of which ones you’ll want in your itinerary.

There are four routes: the Red Car Door Tour, the Blue Car Door Tour, the Green Car Door Tour and the Yellow Car Door Tour. Together, they’ll take you past working opal fields, historic mining sites, quirky houses, sculptures made of scrap metal and eerie desert plains. It’s like a smorgasbord of Lightning Ridge weirdness, all enjoyed from the passenger seat. Most of the town’s top attractions are scattered along these routes, too, so it’s easy to tick off your Lightning Ridge things to do bucket list by cruising a couple during your stay.

In my opinion, the Yellow and Red Car Door Tours are the best to start with, since they cover a lot of the attractions. The Green is one to avoid unless you are good at navigating some bumpy terrain, and it’s closed unless it’s been dry weather due to washouts.

Cost: Free (excluding fuel)
Accessibility: 2WD cars can easily manage with careful driving.

Unwind in an artesian bore bath

Best for: Couples, road trippers, winter travellers

Get the wellness experience of a luxury spa without spending any money (in this economy? Unheard of!) at the Lightning Ridge Artesian Bore Bath. This huge circular pool is fed by naturally heated underground water thanks to the Great Artesian Basin, which spans most of Northern NSW and runs across into South Australia and Queensland. These waters feed man-made bore baths locals have used as DIY spas for centuries, with water sitting around 40–42 degrees year-round. Open 24 hours a day, they’re the perfect spot to soak away those road trip stiff muscles. During high season, the bath can get pretty busy, so my tip is to visit early evening (after sunset, which, while gorgeous, will be the busiest time of day) or early in the morning.

Address: Shermans Way, Lightning Ridge
Cost: Free
Opening hours: Open 24 hours
Accessibility: Easy access with ramps and railings

Head underground

Best for: Art lovers, families

The yarns you get out of Lightning Ridge are something else, and Chambers of the Black Hand has easily the best, most Aussie story behind it. It goes like this: a guy comes to town to mine for opals, has little luck, so opens his mine up to tourists. Meanwhile, he also realises the sandstone in this mine is soft and malleable, perfect for carving. He starts creating art along the walls, and pretty soon this becomes an offbeat art gallery that’s the star of the show. Well, that’s the abbreviated version, and it’s worth a visit for the full story. You’ll go 11 metres underground inside the old mine, and find walls carved with intricate and enormous art pieces that cover pretty much everything. I’m talking Australian wildlife through to Star Wars characters. The strangeness is what makes it so enthralling, but there are pieces that will also genuinely take your breath away.

Address: Three Mile Road, Lightning Ridge
Cost: From $48 per adult, $16 per child
Opening hours: Open 7 days from 9am to 5pm, with last descent at 3:45pm. Closed during the hottest period, usually all of February.
Accessibility: Steep stairs mean it may not suit all mobility needs. No wheelchair access.

Go opal hunting

Best for: Families, curious travellers

You can’t come to Lightning Ridge and not at least try to find an opal! There are several public fossicking areas around town that allow tourists to noodle in discarded mine tailings searching for stones miners may have missed. Yes, noodling is the actual term for this. Look, you’re unlikely to find anything worthwhile, but that’s not really the point, is it? Maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones. Maybe you’ll just have a lot of fun. This is also an exceptionally good activity for kids, who you’ll have to drag away from the mine tailings, ruining their dream of striking it rich. A local tip I got from a long-time miner: go early in the morning or after rain. It’s when the opal colours are easiest to spot among the rubble.

Locations: Visitor Information Centre, Outback Opal Mine Adventure and each of the “Pubs In The Scrub"
Cost: Usually free or low-cost depending on location
Tip: Pack a hat, closed shoes, sunscreen, and water. Even in winter, Lightning Ridge gets hot!

Wander through a cacti garden

Best for: Curious travellers, geology fans, families

Tucked in along the Blue Car Door Tour, Bevan’s Cactus Nursery does exactly what it says on the tin – lets you wander through thousands of towering cacti rising out of the red dirt. Founded in the 1960s, the family-owned and run nursery is home to one of the largest private cactus collections in the southern hemisphere. There are around 2500 species gathered from around the world, with some more than a century old, and wandering the winding paths between giant golden barrels and spiky, hand-like succulents is a wonderful experience for adults and kids alike.

You’ll absolutely leave with a few cactus facts you never expected to care about, plus possibly an opal or two from the attached black opal showroom. The best times to visit are early morning and late afternoon, when the shadows stretch dramatically across the garden and light filters between the cacti, making for some excellent photos, whether you’re an avid photographer or just want a few good snaps for the ‘Gram.

Address: Blue Car Door 7, Woolaroo Road, Lightning Ridge
Opening hours: Daily, 9am–5pm
Entry fee: Small entry fee applies
Accessibility: Mostly flat gravel pathways, some uneven ground throughout the garden

Witness mesmerising sunsets

Best for: Romantics, Sunset chasers, photographers

Outback sunsets are like nothing else. I’d even say the outback sunsets I’ve seen in my travels rival some of the European sunsets I’ve been privileged to catch. Lightning Ridge has some crackers if you’ve got the time to lie in wait, and one of the best spots to catch them is up at Nettleton’s First Shaft Lookout. Bring some snacks and settle in as you watch the skies turn blue-pink and orange-red over the Coocoran Opal Fields. Nearby you’ll find the “beer can house" and a stone labyrinth, because you’re never far from something weird when you’re in Lightning Ridge.

Address: Bill O’Brien Way, Lightning Ridge
Cost: Free

Discover opalised fossils

Best for: Art lovers, souvenir hunters

The Australian Opal Centre is, naturally, the place to be if you’re a gem enthusiast. But don’t skip it if you’re not really that into opals. It’s also a fantastic ride through history, venturing all the way back to the prehistoric, with the world’s leading collection of opalised fossils. You’ll see opals, yes. But you’ll also get a great insight into the history of the region, and a newfound respect for the breathtaking gem world that lives beneath us. Stick around after dark for SPARK, an outdoor cinema experience celebrating the history and culture of Lightning Ridge.

Address: 3/11 Morilla Street, Lightning Ridge
Opening hours: 9am – 5pm Monday to Saturday (March-November), 9am – 1pm Monday to Saturday (December to February)
Cost: Free for the centre, SPARK is $18 per adult, $8 per child

Sink a cold one

Best for: Friends, solo travellers

When the opal miners clock off in the nearby Grawin opal fields and surrounds, they head to one of three “pubs" dotted among the Australian outback bush. Don’t expect the historic, lavish town-centre drinking holes you usually find in Aussie country. These are more like hastily strung-together tin shacks, where the beer choices are less craft, more “the usual", and everything is covered in a generous layer of mine tailing dust.

Start at The Sheepyard Inn, and take a wander through the memorabilia stacked along its walls. If you’re feeling game, throw your bra on the “bra tree" out back. That alone belongs in a museum, I think there might be underwear from the 1970s strung up on those dry branches. Continue on to the Glengarry Hilton, where your drinks come in cans or bottles, and there’s always a local ready with a tall tale if you’re looking for one. Finish the arvo with sunset at the Club In The Scrub, the most developed of the three outback pubs with a kids’ playground, mini golf range and a well-kept interior. All three are welcoming local establishments, so don’t be shy and pull up a stool at the bar.

Address: Near Grawin, NSW
Cost: Free

Spot local art

Lightning Ridge has a surprisingly booming art scene, and one of the most famous artists in town is John Murray. His gallery is filled with vibrant outback paintings featuring Aussie fauna like emus, cockatoos and plenty of classic country larrikinism. You’ll definitely spot his art around town, and you might have even seen some before in other Australian cities, since he’s a well-known street artist, too.

Address: 8 Opal Street, Lightning Ridge

Look up to the stars

Best for: Stargazers, campers, romantics

At night, don’t forget to look up. Thanks to its remote location and small population, Lightning Ridge is a fantastic place to stargaze in NSW, and it’s one of those free things to do that will remain in your memory for years. On a clear night, you’ll see the Milky Way running the length of the sky, and if you’re patient, probably a few shooting stars, too.

You don’t need to get out of town to catch an incredible glimpse of the night sky the way city-dwellers don’t normally get to see it, but for true stargazers, head to Nettleton’s First Shaft Lookout or head back to Grawin, where there are no town lights causing light pollution.

Cost: Free