The Outback Experience 7

This is a picture of an opal mine in Lightning Ridge New South Wales Australia. Copyright jcott@homeboys-adventures-in-australia.com.

This is an opal mine, each claim is 50 meters by 50 meters and a couple can have two claims. It is quite a ways down to the opal bearing layer..if there is one. Lots of earth have to be dug, shovel by shovel or bucket by bucket. The crane is the mechanism miners use to get the earth and or opal bearing rock to the surface. The piles are earth...mostly but still the claim holders property.

You'll find a lot of English(Pommie bastards) and Americans in Lightning Ridge. Those are the two largest groups of illegals in Australia. The lure of the chance to strike it rich, attracts many.

 

This is a picture of an Ant Art exhibit of Aboriginal art at the Bowling Club in Lightning Ridge New South Wales Australia. Copyright jcott@homeboys-adventures-in-australia.com.
Each town in Australia has some kind of sportsman club that is the meeting place of the town for a good inexpensive meal, a grog and perhaps some slot poker. Lightning Ridge is no exception. The Bowling Club meets those requirements. The Aborigine art to the left was on exhibit at the club while we were there. Line dancing lessons on Tuesday and Thursdays..taught by a lady from Wisconsin in the states.

 

This is a picture of HomeBoy at the first tee of the sand golf course at the Scrub, near Lightning Ridge New South Wales Australia. Copyright jcott@homeboys-adventures-in-australia.com.
We visited the Glengarry and Sheepyard opal fields also. This is the first hole of the sand golf course located at the Club in the Scrub.

 

Picture of the clubhouse at the Scrub and also..the outhouse. Copyright jcott@homeboys-adventures-in-australia.com.
The spirit of accessibility has reached the outback. In the far distance are the dunnys (outhouses) and one of them is accessable by wheel chair. There was a shortage of Sears and Roebuck catalogs....(grin).

 

Outback Experience 8

"I Put A Seashell to My Ear...And it all comes back..HomeBoy in Paradise"

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