30LR2.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Artesian Pool - very hot.
DSC_0062.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Anothercar bonnet sign at (Nettleton's) First Shaft sunk in 1902/03. Lightning Ridge occupants seem to have a "thing" for using old car doors etc as their signposts.
DSC_0125.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Superhero carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
01LightningRidge9.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Actor and politician carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0185.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Walford House (c1909) in the town centre.
30LR1.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Amigo's Castle.
30LRPan07.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Tailings near (Nettleton's) First Shaft and the Coorcooran Opal field. (panorama)
01LightningRidge.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Stairways down to the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0142.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0092.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0087.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0193.JPG=Flood damaged road repairs in western Queensland;
DSC_0176.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Coopers Cottage (c1916) in the town centre.
02ToHome2.jpg=After Lightning Ridge, we're on our way "straight" home through western Queensland; this is a short stop at Collarenebri before crossing the border.
DSC_0158.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Tailings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0227.JPG=Through Toowoomba, Queensland; Only about 125km from home, we experienced more of the road works while descending the Toowoomba Range.
DSC_0006.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; The town's Artesian pool near the Opal Caravan Park.
30LR11.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; In the afternoon we decided to try the Artesian Pool - very hot at approx 40 degrees C
28Dubbo7.jpg=Entering Lightning Ridge, New South Wales.
02ToHome2 (2).jpg=Goondiwindi, Queensland; Ducks and geese on the Top Tourist caravan park billabong.
DSC_0182.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Bottle House in the town centre.
DSC_0043.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Disused tram on the Red Car Door tourist circuit.
02ToHome.jpg=Back home with our travelling companions and picture gallery.
DSC_0150.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0130.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Fiery sunrise at the Opal Caravan Park.
01LightningRidge5.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Mining level below the Chambers of the Black Hand.
30LR10.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Astronomer's Monument a curious hand built structure, begun in 1983 by"'Polish Alex".
02ToHomePan01.JPG=Cattle on a stock route in western Queensland.
01LightningRidgePan07.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand. (panorama)
DSC_0085.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Stairways down to the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0031.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Old mine shafts are everywhere so it isn't wise to walk backwards.
02ToHomePan02.JPG=Goondiwindi, Queensland; Beautiful sunrise at our overnight stop.
30LR9.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Some of the many open shafts near the Coorcooran Opal field.
01LightningRidge13.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Animal carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
30LRPan03.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Amigo's Castle. (panorama)
01LightningRidge20.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Coopers Cottage (c1916) in the town centre.
30LRPan04.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Amigo lives in his camp behind the unfinished castle, and typical of many of the old camps, there is discarded material/ equipment everywhere. (panorama)
DSC_0156.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Opal souvenir shop at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
01LightningRidge19.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Signs at the Chambers of the Black Hand exit.
30LR13.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Next we rode "Harley" around the Green Car Door tourist circuit. This stop was at (Nettleton's) First Shaft sunk in 1902/03
01LightningRidge3.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Beetles and Elvis carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
01LightningRidge10.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Some of the larger carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
02ToHome3 (2).jpg=Goondiwindi, Queensland; Ducks and geese on the Top Tourist caravan park billabong.
01LightningRidgePan06.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Walford House (c1909) in the town centre. (panorama)
DSC_0170.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Coopers Cottage (c1916) in the town centre.
01LightningRidge4.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0134.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Fiery sunrise at the Opal Caravan Park.
28Dubbo8.jpg=Entering Lightning Ridge, New South Wales.
30LRPan06.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Town centre with the John Murray art gallery centre left. (panorama)
30LR3.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; John Murray's "Budgie Smugglers" and "One long neck and six stubbies".
DSC_0110.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; NRL carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
30LR.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; John Murray's art is unique and is seen a lot around town - this one an is a cheeky look at past and present PM's.
DSC_0228.JPG=Through Toowoomba, Queensland; Descending the Toowoomba Range.
DSC_0174.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Coopers Cottage front door (c1916) in the town centre.
30LRPan08.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Tailings near (Nettleton's) First Shaft and the Coorcooran Opal field. (panorama)
DSC_0077.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Tailings near (Nettleton's) First Shaft and the Coorcooran Opal field.
30LR12.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Black Queen (theatre) building was built with a lot of bottles and cans in the walls.
DSC_0007.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Tailings piles near Amigo's Castle.
01LightningRidge23.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Coopers Cottage (c1916) in the town centre.
DSC_0119.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Animal carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
01LightningRidge14.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Egyptian carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
01LightningRidge22.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Even the telephone exchange is very different - it almost looks like it is in the Bowls Club carpark just surrounded by a high fence.
02ToHome1.jpg=Our picture gallery will be coming down - we weren't able to complete it anyway because of printer issues on the road.
DSC_0056.JPG=Entering Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; the headlights shine first into the  bottom mirror, reflect up to the top of the pole, then reflect onto the toilet roof with a translucent panel. Ingenious.
30LRPan05.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Miners camp. (panorama)
01LightningRidgePan04.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Tailings at the Chambers of the Black Hand. (panorama)
DSC_0079.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Unfinished Beer Can House - hasn't seen any work for a long time; the cans are rusty old steel ones .
DSC_0114.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Last Supper carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0017.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Amigo lives in his camp behind the unfinished castle, and typical of many of the old camps, there is discarded material/ equipment everywhere.
29LightningRPan01.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sunrise at the Opal Caravan Park. (panorama)
DSC_0229.JPG=Through Toowoomba, Queensland; Descending the Toowoomba Range view toward Brisbane.
02ToHomePan04.JPG=Through Toowoomba, Queensland; Descending the Toowoomba Range view toward Brisbane. (panorama)
DSC_0105.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Mining level below the Chambers of the Black Hand.
02ToHome (2).jpg=Goondiwindi, Queensland; The Top Tourist caravan park (our overnight stop) has this large billabong that attracts many birds.
DSC_0152.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Some favourite Australians at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0226.JPG=Through Toowoomba, Queensland; Only about 125km from home, we experienced more of the road works while descending the Toowoomba Range.
01LightningRidge18.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Mining elevator at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0055.JPG=Entering Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; in the park opposite "Stanley", there is a unique idea for lighting the toilet at night.
DSC_0139.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Animal carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0042.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Another "castle" on the Red Car Door tourist circuit.
01LightningRidge1.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
30LR4.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; John Murray's variation on "One long neck and six stubbies".
DSC_0154.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
30LR6.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Some of the idle and mostly disused machinery around the town.
DSC_0076.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; This old sign reads "" THIS CLAIM IS NOT PART OF MONUMENT - NO SPECKIN - KEEP OFF"
30LR5.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Leopard Wood at Astronomer's Monument.
DSC_0138.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Animal carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0078.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Unfinished Beer Can House near (Nettleton's) First Shaft
DSC_0205.JPG=Goondiwindi, Queensland; Beautiful sunrise at our overnight stop.
01LightningRidge11.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0118.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
30LR8.jpg=EnteringLightning Ridge, New South Wales; "Stanley" the emu memorial to outback pioneering was originally intended for the "Birdsville Track"
DSC_0028.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Astronomer's Monument a curious hand built structure, begun in 1983 by"'Polish Alex".
DSC_0012.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Amigo's Castle mine shaft/ elevator.
01LightningRidge12.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
01LightningRidge17.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0129.JPG=Entering Lightning Ridge, New South Wales.
01LightningRidge7.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
DSC_0008.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Cactus growing near Amigo's Castle.
30LRPan02.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Amigo's Castle. (panorama)
01LightningRidge8.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Superhero carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
30LRPan01.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Amigo's Castle. (panorama)
01LightningRidge6.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
01LightningRidge21.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Coopers Cottage (c1916) kitchen, fire place and dunny
02ToHome1 (2).jpg=Goondiwindi, Queensland; We must be getting close to home with the familiar Rainbow Lorikeets.
01LightningRidge16.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Sandstone carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
01LightningRidge2.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Mining level below the Chambers of the Black Hand.
30LR7.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; John Murray art gallery.
DSC_0083.JPG=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Next day started with our underground tour at the Chambers of the Black Hand.
01LightningRidge15.jpg=Lightning Ridge, New South Wales; Harry Potter/ Lord of the Rings/ Star Wars carvings at the Chambers of the Black Hand.