Lightning Ridge outback NSW

Well I am now back after my 2,485km trip (around 3,000 km with side trips) to Lightning Ridge. The Evoque went like a dream, not one hitch. On the bitumen it was a dream, happy to cruise at the speed limit and with plenty of power to get past anything in its way.

Lightning Ridge is one of our Opal Mining town, set in Outback NSW. It was a great experience and driving around the mining areas was great.

I did some heavy duty outback dirt driving long along the 121km Brewarrina-Goodooga road to Bourke, which was fun to start with, till experiencing road trains coming from the other way and the road degenerating into deepish ruts that heavy trucks had made in the road.

At Parkes I went out and saw 'The Dish', from a famous Australia movie.

The trip was:
• Cronulla (my place in southern Sydney)
• Armidale (Lindsay House Country Hotel)
• Lightning Ridge (Lightning Ridge Outback Resort & Caravan Park for 3 nights)
• Bourke (Kidman Camp)
• West Wyalong (West Wyalong Caravan Park)

Attached are some photos.

The trip


Arriving in Lightning Ridge


The Lightning Ridge Outback Resort & Caravan Park where I stayed



Lightning Ridge main street



Opal mining areas



Down a mine




More in the next post
More opal mining areas



Early miners house








A miners castle





A miners dedication to the astronomers



A miners 17 years of art in his mine










Evoque in the mines





Cactus in the outback



Driving to Bourke, and watching the big road trains go by



Local wild life



The Darling River







Accommodation in Bourke





And The Dish

Great photos. I worked out their in 2001, we visited lightening ridge a few times. I was based near Walgett NSW. It's a great country, I miss it and would love to return sometime.

Great stuff!

Any problem with cabin overheat with the pano?

Thanks, when parked I kept the top cover closed and had it open during the long drive, it was fine and no hotter than other cars I have been in.

What is that screen over the grill? Additional protection or something required for the conditions there?

Not required but essential in keeping insects, particularly swarms of locusts off the car and out of the engine bay, as per my last trip into the outback in my last Subaru

I see. THAT is a very clear explanation! Thank you.

What wheels and tyres did you run?
I would love to take mine a little off the beaten track but the one I ended up buying has 20" alloys so I'm a little nervous about rim damage.

I was on the wheels and tyres it came with, being 19" Style 4 and came with Goodyear Efficient and they did well.

However I recently changed tyres to Coopers CS5's and they feel more connected to the road and less road noise. I have not been off read in the Coopers, but I did do ma good drive from Canberra to Melbourne then along the Great Ocean Road and return and they did very nicely.

I don't think you will find a great deal of issues between 19 and 20's as long as you are aware of what your doing and driving.