The Black Opals of Lightning Ridge
Australia's Governor General, the Honorable Bill Hayden AC, named the opal as Australia's public gemstone on 27th July 1993. Of all Australia's opal, dark opal is the most outlandish, loved and searched for. Around 95% of world's stockpile come from Lightning Ridge in New South Wales or "The Ridge" as it is known locally. I originally went to "The Ridge" in 1999, it was an extended period of good rains and surprisingly in the late spring the field seemed to have a green hint. The street and encompassing fields are constantly level checked periodically with a far off farmhouse or shed. A differentiation to later visits following eight years of dry season implied that a few kids and canines had grown up never knowing precipitation. Found 8 hours drive North West of Sydney close to New South Wales line with Queensland, Lightning Ridge is less an edge than a slight ascent of ground enlarging out of Australia's wide earthy colored fields. Scantily ve...