The NSW town of Lightning Ridge has been a Big Lap highlight for generations of grey nomads … but there are growing fears its tourist appeal might be about to take a nosedive.
The recent NSW Small Scale Titles (Opal Mining) inquiry has recommended changes that some say could signal the demise of the opal industry that has made the iconic Outback community famous, as well as underpinning its economy.
Key recommendations from the inquiry include restrictions that would prevent new miners from staking claims over old underground workings unless they convert the claim into open-cut operations. And it has also been recommended that responsibility for rehabilitating old mines be transferred to the current leaseholders.
Outback towns' history and heritage are often a big part of their appeal. PIC: moremilu / Pixabay
The other major change is the proposed cost increase to pegging a claim. Some local organisations say that, if the recommendations were enacted, it would mean the cost would increase sixfold.
The Lightning Ridge Tourist Association warns these extra costs could drive miners out of New South Wales to states where mining remains financially viable.
“These draconian recommendations will destroy an industry that has been the lifeblood of this town for generations,” a spokesperson said. “We urge the Minister to listen to those directly affected before it’s too late.”
Scott Bailey, the Vice President of the Lightning Ridge Tourism Association, told the Grey Nomads that, as well as environmental degradation that the drive towards open cut mining would cause, the effects on tourism would be multifaceted.
“It will change the character of the town from an active mining town to an historic mining town,” he said. “It will reduce the number of full-time residents, meaning the town will be offering less goods and services not only to the locals … but also to the visitors.”
He stressed that the loss of people would lead to an exodus of staff who currently man the cafes, the club, the pub, the restaurants, the motels, the Airbnb’s, the tourist attractions and the caravan and cabin parks … and this would have a significant impact on the tourist economy and the tourist experience.
“Lightning Ridge has so much to offer, it is a bucket list destination known around the world thanks to the Outback Opal Hunters … it is a thriving rural economy,” Mr Bailey said. “What Lightning Ridge doesn’t need is unnecessary bureaucratic intervention.”
He said that he thought the Mining and Resource Regulator did not like administering Lightning Ridge because there were thousands of small claims and they have limited budget and resources to do their work.
“The solution however is not to kill a local economy and make the sourcing of Australia’s national gemstone unviable,” he said. “We ask the State Government to step up and prevent this from happening.”
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Both times we have been to Lightening Ridge we have enjoyed it because it is different, a lot of people from all over the world and all good company. By taking away the quaintness of the town it would lose its point of difference and the tourism trade would collapse.
I’ve been to the ridge twice. I’d hate to see open cut mining BUT there does need to be some attention to rehabilitation of exhausted mine claims. ATM it looks like a wasteland and an environmental disaster area.
Don’t kill the goose….. just do it all with some sympathy for what is left behind.
Fond memories of years back, when we used to do short-run state-laps, at term breaks. Why do I get the feeling that “big business” and the “orange card”, are prowling, just out of the light of the campfire??
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Tipical Government intervention again. Cannot leave things alone, they seem to be hell bent on shutting down this Country in anyway they can. Already been enough damage done over the years with the demise of industry etc.
Why does Govt have to interfere & stuff up what has been in existence a long long time & has a valued history of our Nation.
Do we not want to preserve & revere our past. Seems like Govt breaks more than it builds in supporting such unique history that is living & existing today.
Lightning Ridge should be encouraged not managed into oblivion
We’ve absolutely loved our trips to the many and varied precious stones mining towns in Australia. It seems this isn’t about to happen just in Lightning Ridge. There’s plans afoot to close down the sapphire mining area in central Qld, opal mining in Coober Pedy and anywhere else the government thinks! The miners’ livelihoods, local employment and tourism will never be the same. We really feel for all miners trying to fight these Big Brother decisions.
Please leave these small towns alone. We LOVE the unique atmosphere they have. This is why we travel very far from from home. Not to see what we have at home, but to have a new view on how life is lived,. Love Lightning Ridge, please don’t turn it into an open cut, don’t destroy it.
Lived there for 13 months. Let’s just say protecting the environment or even trying to live in harmony with it, was not important.
This government is nothing but money grabbing fools. They are spending big on Sydney and taking from rest of the state . Leave small town’s alone.
We went for the 3rd time last year, we won’t be going back. Can’t fossick in places we used to all because of a few fools.
Spoke to a couple of the jewellers there, they agreed, they have killed this town with new regulations.
Sad to say, they have lost this couple of grey nomads.
RIP Lightning Ridge.
What a stupid idea. I first went to LR at the age of 7, it had a bush bar (parents spent time there) There were not bulldozers back then it was pick, shovel and hard work but it was a great place to visit. Hubby and I went back 10 years or so. Totally changed not as friend and bulldozers digging up the earth, bloody awful. Leave it alone. Some of you are distroying the place with greed
I first visited the Ridge in 1968 and spent my annual holidays there several times.
Back then it was just two 50 metre strip’s of bitumen with the black opal pub on one corner and the police station on the other.
I stayed in the tramotel run by Harold Hodges and his wife who wore the largest black opal necklace that l have ever seen.
The place was a “wild west” back then and fun for a young single man like me.
I could write a book …..
Recently 50 years on l revisited as a greynomad and WOW has the place changed.
But the Aussie spirit of the locals is still alive and well. l believe that the locals should and will resist government intervention to change the town.
Long Live the Ridge
It would spoil the area.
The tourist mines will still function, and the art shops that sells oil paintings of the area.
The thermal pool will survive.
WA goldfields towns lost all there families to FIFO after the Gov changed the rules in favour of open pit mining in the 1980’s
Get big or get out is the best way to end up with a ghost town
Leave the Ridge the way it is.it would ruin the town.to many changes not good.mining is hard enough without government changing things.the town would die.no tourists to bring income. No charm left in town.