Happenings About The Opal Fields

Chambers of the Black Hand
Tourists are flocking to the new tourist attraction in Lightning Ridge where you can go 11.2 metres underground to explore hand carved images sculptured out of the sandstone walls and pillars of an old opal mine. Then tour an old opal mine that was started over 100 years ago...

Opal Jewellery Design Awards 2007
The theme of this year's competition is freeform and/or undulating surface opal as the major design element.Check here for more information>>>

Opal Miners Dig Up Troubles
Miners want access to more land around Lightning Ridge to dig for opals. Environmentalists and farmers are outraged...

Chance Find in Coober Pedy Sees Rush of Prospectors
A chance opal find has seen a rush of new prospectors to Coober Pedy

Floaters Found at Coober Pedy
A NEW opal rush has started in the Coober Pedy region following the chance find of 1.4kg of opal "floaters" lying on the ground.

Miner's Find Causes Stir at Fossil Centre
The Lightning Ridge Opal and Fossil Centre may still be in the planning stages but it already has an impressive collection, and one that is growing all the time.
   One of the most exciting recent additions is an opalised dinosaur foot bone...

Push On to Save Open Cut
Time is running out for local community groups who want to see the 3-Mile Open Cut Mine preserved for historical, tourism and educational reasons.

Iran’s First Discovered Opal Mine to be Explored Soon
Iran’s first discovered opal mine located in Qom is estimated to contain about 1,000 tons of the precious gem.

Hopes for New Opal Find in SA
It is hoped a new drilling rig will uncover another opal field in South Australia's far north.

$500k Opal Dress Turns Heads
The opal-studded black velvet gown is the brainchild of South Australian businesswoman Sophia Provatidis

Dubai and Australian Jewellery Traders Boost Cooperation
A high-profile delegation of jewellery traders from Australia recently concluded a visit to Dubai

Architects Dig Deep for Opal Centre
The Lightning Ridge Opal and Fossil Centre in central western NSW will be built underground.

Community Has Say on Opal Centre
The Lightning Ridge Opal and Fossil Centre Committee held a public forum to give the Lightning Ridge community a chance to have some input into the proposed centre.

Disclosure of Opal Mine May Trigger Rush to Wyoming
Reprinted from an article in the Denver Post, March 01, 2005
Discovery of 34-pound opal has impact

Opal Fever Hits Coober Pedy
Reprinted from The Border Mail, Febrary 24, 2005
Opal miners in the South Australian town of Coober Pedy are scrambling to stake their claims after the discovery of a rich seam of opal

Barcoo Council Plans Tourist Route
Reprinted from ABC Westewrn Queenslandl, January 20, 2005
The Barcoo Shire Council wants to establish an informal tourist route to promote the opal industry in western Queensland

Miners Want to Open Sacred Sites
Reprinted from The Sydney Morning Herald, January 20, 2005
State Government must choose between the future of the $35 million industry and warnings that the new prospecting area is riddled with environmentally sensitive areas and sites sacred to indigenous peoples.

Anniversary of First Gold Rush
Reprinted from The Ridge News, January 20, 2005
This year marks 100 years since the first opal rush at Sims Hill

Chinese Solution to Ailing Opal Industry
Reprinted from The Ridge News, November 26, 2004
Hopes for a boost to the ailing opal industry were raised this week after news of efforts to better promote opal in China.

Ridge Gears Up for Big Easter

Reprinted from The Ridge News, 31 March 2004

Yowah's Opal festival 2003

A night under the stars

Lightning Ridge Jewellery awards

Celebrating opal's 10th anniversary as Australia's National gemstone.

Yowah's Opal festival 2003

Report No.2, post-Easter 2003
More gossip and Happenings from Lightning Ridge

Lightning Ridge pre-Easter 2003
Gossip and Happenings from Lightning Ridge