The road ahead was purportedly clear and our journey for today was to be one of the shortest for some time, a mere 70 kms in fact. And our destination is one I have been dying to visit for quite some time.
After a wonderful day and delightful evening in Hebel, we were both in very good spirits as we made our way back onto the Castlereagh Highway, where,
after less than 5 kilometres we reached what was for us, a real milestone. After 2,044 kilometres, a potentially very nasty breakdown, wretched roads, drenching rain and flooded highways, we had finally made it out of Queensland. Life was looking altogether very much better (not that we don't love Queensland....we even barrack for the Cowboys and the Broncos.....we were just over this year!)
We still came across the odd reminder or two of the state of play on the roads here over the past few weeks,
but, as the advisory sign on the approach to Hebel had proclaimed, our road ahead was definitely open.
Mind you, as we passed a sign welcoming us to the Walgett Shire, we were reminded of the fact that the rivers on which this town stands (and through which we must travel later) were now rising. Ah, well, that is a problem for another day. Only 45 kms to Lightning Ridge.
We were now OK, thank you Jack, but we did feel for those living on the station properties to which many of the access roads were still completely impassable and remained closed. Fortunately it was still school holidays in NSW. I'll warrant many were just praying for a dry out before the need to get their kids out to the school bus pick up point.
And, as if to remind us of just what an extraordinary and diverse countryside Australia presents to the passing traveller (not that we needed any such jolt), we soon came across termite mounds, something we normally associate with the dry outback regions of QLD and NT. Termites must have developed very good waterproofing techniques...either that or they are the swimming champions of the insect world!
Nearly there! I am sure I have mentioned this previously, but it bears repeating. What a wonderful thing it is to have spent over 70 years in this country and still have days when the sense of excitement about a new adventure is palpable. "Why do you keep travelling?", folk continue to ask us. This is why.
I must admit I had, for many years, held a completely false notion about this famous town, one which I had, in my mind's eye, equated with opal diggings such as Andamooka and White Cliffs. I got my first real inkling that I had been completely off track when our mate Laurance, of the Hebel pub encounter, had mentioned that they often go to Lightning Ridge for a major shop.
And I was soon to find out just how wrong my mental picture of this town had been over all these years.
The town itself lies about 5 kilometres off the highway, but with this huge sign erected below the brightly painted dirt separating truck, one would have to be severely sight impaired to miss the turn off.
And from this point on, there can be no doubt as to where the
short trip along the Bill O'Brien Way will lead.
Missed the sign?.......
...don't panic, there'll soon be another!
We were soon to learn that this is a town where the crucial importance of the tourist dollar to its continuing survival is well understood. Publicity is not something the burghers of Lightning Ridge shy away from.
I do like arriving in a new town on a Sunday.....everything is so much easier when the major streets are not cluttered with vehicles. This was very much the case as we drove into the main commercial street of what we soon saw is quite a large town,
turned right to travel along the second of the major sections of the CBD
before making our way out along the road which leads to the local artesian pools
and the Opal Caravan Park, the newest and best appointed (we hoped) of the three parks in the town.
As we hove to at the park office it was obvious that this was a large park, but not one where grass abounds. Lightning Ridge is not noted for its rainfall, and this park is geared to manage accordingly.
Our allocated site was only one roadway past the office.
Most of the sites in this part of the park are drive-thru's and quite large. We were in situ and set up in short order. Our only real decision was that of ground matting or not? We decided that the gravel surface was clean enough to take the lazy way out, apart from which we felt should embrace the ostensible harshness of the Lightning Ridge topography (is that called rationalisation?) The C-Gear remained in its bag!
So before we toddle off into town, a wander around our latest 'home' was in order, beginning where we came in...at the spacious entrance area and office
where the line of advertising boards clearly indicated that the local tour business was thriving and competition was several degrees above luke warm. As I commented earlier, this town is geared to separate the tourists and their coin, which I have to add, is an observation not a criticism. The opal is only going to last just so long.
Immediately behind the office the 'Willy (not Nelson) Pavilion' provides a large, all-weather venue
with a stage set up at one end, a pot belly stove for the colder months, plenty of tables and benches
and, at the other end, a small enclosed counter from which, each morning, coffee is dispensed to all those who are too lazy (or content with the recognition of their own inadequacies to emulate a skilled barrista) to make their own,
a service which is also advertised at the park entrance.
We were initially a little bemused by the one piece of artwork which adorns the pavilion wall. I suspected I knew what this was all about, something which was later confirmed. On opal diggings, those who creep into mines which don't belong to them and dig for opal, are known as 'rats'. They are the most despised form of life on the fields.
I remain unsure if this was meant to serve as cautionary note to those who stay here and may be tempted, or merely something to set the local scene (and I forgot to ask, as you have probably guessed!)
Directly opposite this very well found pavilion (which we shall visit later for other reasons), stands the first of the two camp kitchens, surrounded by one of the few grassed areas in the park,
a spot designed for, and well used by, kids playing various ball games.
The facilities here are, like all the amenities in this park, modern and very functional, and from what we saw, very well used.
Hanging on a nearby tree we found a reminder of a recent episode in our travelling life....a shredded tyre.
The accompanying notice obviously drew our attention. Thank goodness I had long ago suggested that Liz should take a turn at the wheel when she felt the need (or we had a very long trip in front of us) or this tale would have certainly prodded a raw nerve and stoked a fire or two! We did wonder just how many lively discussions this notice actually prompted.
Not too far away, the second kitchen abuts the park pool.
Again, both these facilities are first class and amply demonstrate that this is a newly developed park and one which has been well thought out.
Within the first 24 hours of our arrival, it became patently obvious that this is a very popular spot......the tide of significant numbers of vans, campers and solo vehicles ebbed and flowed each day. Arrival queues like this were the norm (and there were two more out on the road). Admittedly the local school holidays probably swelled the numbers, but many who called in did not have youngsters in tow.
Apart from the various sites and camping areas, this park has a range of cabins for those not arriving with their homes hooked up behind them.
These vary in both style and location within the park, but all were very patronised during our stay.
Lawned areas are not a real feature of this park for obvious reasons, but here the second patch has, like that around the camp kitchen, been strategically sited, under the clothes lines next to the large ablution block.
The heads here are a winner. Modern, spacious, well cleaned twice daily, and here everything works as it should.
The shower cubicles even come equipped with glass doors.....this was like being at home, well, when we had one which was not portable that is! Good shower head and our favourite.....'a strong, hot stream'. Our daily scrub here was a pleasure.
At the entrance was a notice which confirmed that the owners of this park were folk after my own heart. This is a sign which should be mandatory in every park in the country. Whilst in itself it may not deter the rude intrusions of the real numpties who are to be found in all parks, but at least a sign like this provides that wonderful opportunity to be able to berate site intruders 'officially'!
Another nearby sign was a further reminder that the recent downpours had been widespread.
One of the areas in the park to which this seriously applied was the patch to which this pointer applied.
During our stay the fossicking area (where else would you find something like this?)
was still strictly off limits.....for obvious reasons.
Despite the challenges this terrain and the climate present for the development of green and shady areas, a deal of effort in this regard was evident throughout this park. Garden beds between sites have been planted in many areas (not all yet)
as are shade trees, some of which can be seen here along the row of park en suite sites. This appears to be a 'work in progress'. The park will be well served indeed when the trees have grown.
Another aspect of the design of this place which impressed us for its practicality and usefulness for all new arrivals, were the site boundary markers. In this and the previous shot, you will see that the line of white markers provide absolute certainty as to just what site is what. This does much to prevent confusion and deters those wretched few who make a habit of encroaching on the patches of others.
Touring around Lightning Ridge has one inevitable outcome.....vehicles covered from top to bottom in fine, white dust, a fact the park owners have recognised with the installation of a vehicle wash down bay (beyond the dump point) where the Cruiser was the recipient of a good cleansing spray on more than one occasion.
As you may have gathered by now, we were more than impressed by what we found here at the Opal Caravan Park. The facilities were excellent, our site was spacious and easily accessed,
the weather was generally fine and sunny, most evenings were calm and balmy and more than encouraged a late afternoon libation or a chat with friends,
and we were even treated to a fine sunset or two.
This was probably just as well........there was so much to do and see here. We extended our stay by two nights. Apart from the town itself there were the nearby artesian pools, 'car door' tours, pubs in the scrub, an art gallery, and the most extraordinary collection of underground carvings imaginable. Add to all this the unexpected arrival of old friends and varied late afternoon entertainment in the pavilion.....we had the time of our lives at 'The Ridge'.
