Lightning Ridge/Grawin NSW information and questions

[goody2shoes]

Contact member Rodney he may be able to help you...

He permanent based at Garwin

Goody

 

[Bullwinkle]

Thanks Goody. Will do. What's Rodney's contact name for the forum?
Best regards
Mark

 

[grubstake]

Thanks Goody. Will do. What's Rodney's contact name for the forum?
Best regards
Mark

It's......................................rodney!

 

[goody2shoes]

Thanks grubstake

Rodney is he's name on here plus in real life..

He is a mate of mine...

Him and he's wife are great people..

Goody

 

[Bullwinkle]

Haha, thanks guys! Never assume anything

 

[mrt2u]

Well Im off to Lightning Ridge this Tuesday, 19/11. Ill put up a post should I be lucky enough to find some opal.
Cheers

 

[Dihusky]

Get yourself a Convoy UV torch, great for noodling at night, BUT check the area during the day so you know where to shafts are!

 

[Conan]

Is that Rodney that used to run the Lightning Ridge Caravan Park

 

[mbasko]

Get yourself a Convoy UV torch, great for noodling at night, BUT check the area during the day so you know where to shafts are!

Don't think UV torches are much good at Lightning Ridge. It will only work on some opal there & doesn't work well. Pretty sure it doesn't show the seam opal at all? Probably isn't worth the risk at night?
Apparently does work ok on other fields like Coober Pedy.
Best noodling is after rain on a clear day with the sun behind you. Stands out like dogs biscuits once you get the hang of what you're looking at. (Not much chance of rain though )
Being on opal fields at night isn't ideal for a few reasons :argh:

 

[goody2shoes]

Been told that UV torches will not work at lightning ridge by some of the Opal Miner's...

Plus my mate Rodney told me they are no good for up there...

Goody

 

[goody2shoes]

Think you may have the wrong Rodney Conan..

Goody

 

[RockRat]

You don't need much to noodle at the Ridge.
Last time i went i took plenty of water, a spray bottle x two, garden rake
as per photo and a good set of eyes and a sieve.

 

[goody2shoes]

That is correct RR

That is all you need...

Plus a bit of luck

From Garwin

Goody

 

[Bullwinkle]

Thanks very much for the info. Hopefully we're all sorted for a great trip. This is a fantastic forum.
Best regards
Bullwinkle

 

[JohnTheGoldie]

Thanks very much for the info. Hopefully we're all sorted for a great trip. This is a fantastic forum.
Best regards
Bullwinkle

Hey Bullwinkle,

How did the trip go? I'm looking to go to the Lightning Ridge area for some fossicking like you. Any luck?

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Bullwinkle]

JohnTheGoldie, the trip went well. We spent a few days looking around & outside of Lightning Ridge before heading out to Grawin/Sheepyards. Ask at the pubs & they'll point you the right direction for noodling in the public dumps, they'll also no the best time to look depending on who is on opal & when they're dumping. We found a few bits of nice colour which was great. The best thing you can do is drop into the Club on a Saturday arvo & have a few beers with the locals who are mostly miners. They're down to earth terrific people & if they take a liking to you'll they'll give you a few tips & if you're lucky invite you out to see their mining operation. You can camp at the Grawin Club, Glegarry Hilton & Sheepyard Inn. They are all good & not far apart, but we liked the Grawin Club the best.

 

[Dihusky]

Thanks for the info, haven't been to the Ridge since the 70's, looking to go out there around July-August for a couple of weeks.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Thanks very much for the info. Hopefully we're all sorted for a great trip. This is a fantastic forum.
Best regards
Bullwinkle

Hey Bullwinkle,

How did the trip go? I'm looking to go to the Lightning Ridge area for some fossicking like you. Any luck?

Thanks for the reply!

Hey JohnTheGoldie,

I note that you're only a newcomer to this forum. So just a little bit of a tip mate, if you asked for advice on this forum & someone goes to the effort to provide it, it's always polite to respond & acknowledge it.

You might even find that they may expand on the info that they initially provided and other members may also become forthcoming with useful information.

Regards Bullwinkle

 

[rileymcsmiley]

Hey everyone! Just thought I would make a quick post to see if anyone would be kind enough to share some advice in regards to this area. From what I can see the mine dumps at Grawin seem to be the pick and it looks like most people find at least something when they give it a visit. In preparation for a potential trip and under the assumption that the mine dumps are still active, what days/times do the miners generally discard their trucks of dirt? I understand a lot of people like to be the first to look through the new dirt however I mainly want to avoid getting in someones way as I could imagine it would be fairly annoying for the people actually using the dumps as intended. That was my main query but if you have any other advice to give feel free to let me know as I would rather be over prepared than under, cheers!

 

[goody2shoes]

They dump there loads all day of and on ..

No special time

You can walk along the road at grawin and find small opal chips

Go to both the pub's and start taking to the local as they will help you at times

Goody