'We left Broken Hill but we were unable to go on the Darling River Run
due to the fact that it had rained and there were literally thousands of
people heading to the Mundi Mundi Bash so the road was closed. It is a dirt
road and lots of bull dust. We headed straight for Bourke. Bourke was built
as a port for the paddle steamers which delivered cargo along the Murray
Darling System of Rivers. The have made a brilliant information and
educational centre in Bourke to explain the history. The Back of Bourke
Information and Exhibition Centre.
From Bourke we went to Lightning Ridge another isolated community that come
about because of opal mining. It is the home of the black opal. The best in
the world are found only in Australia. There is a photo from the net for
you. Lightning Ridge has other treasures like a mine full of sculptures (
Chamber of the Black Hand) , the most unusual mini golf course, John Murray
( outback artist) and the artesian hot baths. People in the camps (mining
lease sights) they're are most inventive in using junk to make do. We stayed
in a B&B called the Ridge Castle ….. very interesting and rustic.
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If I owned this black opal I would be a wealthy woman.
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I forgot to mention the fish traps at Brewarrina built by the Indigenous
Australians. The traps are also known as
Baiame's Ngunnhu.These are amazing as the river flowed the fish would be caught in these stone
fences.. early acqua culture. Amazing ! These are suspected to be
thousands of years old possibly 40,000 years old.
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Bourke Council Chambers - I think .. sorry
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Bourke is on The Barwon River
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With our travel buddies and best friends , Bernie’s brother and his
wife. We are not only family but besties.
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Outback pubs are all unique in themselves but share the notoriety of
being the community meeting place . No pub , no town .
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Cameleers helped build the outback and move goods from place to place
in the desert.
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This sculpture garden is in The Back of Bourke Centre. What great work
I
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The Ridge Castle Lightning Ridge, our Lodgings for 4
nights
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Car door windows - very creative
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I
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Should have locked the boys up here. Ha ha !
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The Chamber of the Black Hand - a can’t miss at the Ridge
When your opal mine is no good, it is boiling hot up top, you only have a
butter knife and fork you decide to create sculptures that follow a
historical time line. From antiquities to modern day super heroes. This is
what the owner of this mine did. If you can’t make money in the opal fields
finding opals, art is the next best thing to make you a fortune. In 1997 Ron
Canlin began this adventure. There are so many more sculptures than these
photos.
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Relief Sculptures through the entire mine.
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The Mini golf course is a mix of clever art and recycling. I’ve never
seen a town with so much junk lying around , nor have I seen so much
junk put to good use and given a new life
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Then there are the outlying settlements where new mines are
getting started
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The driver just went to find a post! Ha ha couldn’t resist
this photo
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yes! It’s the golf club
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Then there are the characters
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One open cut mine
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Another outback town with a famous artist- John Murray
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And of course street signs in the camps are car doors. You can
go on the blue door tour, the red door tour or the yellow door
tour.
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And there is dam good coffee too
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Last but not least is the artesian pool. Very hot,. perfect
relaxation after a hard day in the mine.
And that’s all Folks
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