Day 13 Winter shoot 6000km in 14 days
Below you will find a detailed description of the route as seen through the eyes of its creator to give you firsthand knowledge of the type of experiences available along this route The Below map is for reference guide only with interactive info on locations along the route.
A fully interactive and directional guide map is available with the Road Trips printable detailed itinerary for $5 using the below button
BOURKE NSW to LIGHTNING RIDGE NSW (316km 3.41hrs)
1. DIRT ROADS AND ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS
Loved our dirty detour last time so we took some more dirt roads to Lightning Ridge. We come across more animals on this little stretch of dirt than the whole rest of the trip. And again the quality of girt road was highway smooth (if wet you could use Kamilaroi Hwy instead)
Only a short trip though so we can spend more time at lightning ridge as there is so much to see there.
2. COLOURED DOOR TOUR
system of coloured painted car doors. You can pick up the map at the information centre just as you reach town.
3. FREE FOSSICKING
The information centre is also a great place to try your hand at some free fossicking in a pile dumped outside.
We chose the red door trail but pretty sure we crossed over on a few other trails as it is a bit of a maze of dirt tracks, burrows, and shanties.
4. CHAMBERS OF THE BLACK HAND
Chamber of the Black Hand was pretty interesting. A long climb down a mine shaft that opened into tunnels full of artworks carved out of the stone walls. Everything from skippy to Elvis and Jesus.
5. CLASSIC OLD CARS
The tin church(Yellow Door), can house(Green Door), rock circles(Green Door) and bottle house are just a few features found on our red door tour. But I did find a cool area of old vintage cars slowly deteriorating. Tried to narrow down the location for you but it was 10 years ago and we were pretty much lost when I found them.
6. ARTESIAN BATHS Pandora St Lighting Ridge
Finished the day of adventures of with a soak in the Artesian baths that were insanely hot(40-50deg) but divine for a winter’s day. approximately two million years old! It was a little strange as it felt like we were over in somewhere like Croatia, such as the guessed nationalities of most of the other bathers.
We stayed in the very nice Chasin Opal Holiday park but were a little disappointed. I had thought it was right opposite the Baths, but unfortunately, that was another place called Opal holiday Park (now a big 4 park) you think they could get a little more creative with the names?