Wilcannia White Cliffs and Lightning Ridge

Wilcannia

From Menindee we back tracked to broken Hill where we had a coffee break and topped up our shopping ( chuck steak for a camp oven stew) and fuel. Back on the Barrier Highway and heading for Cobar and Bourke. We planned to roadside camp overnight along the way. Alas we passed the best free campsite very early in the day and they became progressively worse. Just when we thought we had no alternative but a long haul to Cobar we came across an old truck on the side of the road advertising a new caravan park ‘Warrawong’. Kay, Googled the name and found it was a new park 3kms East of Wilcannia (smart phones are the best thing since sliced bread). Staying 2 nights in a brand new caravan park on the bank of the Darling River. The park has only just opened this Easter and has the best amenities block we have seen anywhere. There are 25 power sites and unlimited unpowered sites along the river bank. Good news for travellers as Wilcannia was a  place not to stop at. This now saves a rather long driving stretch from Broken Hill to Cobar.

 

The Billabong at the caravan Park

 A bonus for Chris and me was a camp fire pit complete with wood (camp oven stew tonight). A talk with the lady managing the park informed us that Wilcannia is trying to lift it's image with travellers. This town has had a bad image in past years and usually bypassed by caravanners.

The Camp Kitchen

Darling River bank where the unpowered sites are located

The next morning we set off on a day trip to White Cliffs. There is not a lot can be said about White Cliffs it is a cross between Coober Pedy and Andamooka. If you have never been to these places you are not missing much. But we did get a great cup of coffee at the underground motel dining room. The countryside is dotted with shafts and mullock heaps and dubious opal sellers. Being there on the Saturday of the long weekend we found the visitor centre and National Parks Information closed. We found this unusual and disappointing.

Unusual Toilet White Cliffs

White Cliffs Scenery

 Returning to Wilcannia and the caravan park Chris and I lit the campfire and commenced the preparation of our Stew and Damper. This was the subject of much interest from the other caravanners. Very soon we had a large group of salivating onlookers asking what time they should turn up for their share.

The Fire Pit with our Dinner Cooking

Beef Stew

Herb Damper

Sorry None Left

The next morning we set out for Lightning Ridge in thick fog for the first part of the morning. In the middle of the afternoon we located a very nice camping spot off the side of the highway. 

 

Great campsite

The Girls Relaxing

Campfire with Damper Cooking

Damper Ready

The Entertainer

Great night in the Bush

   Lighting our fire  Chris prepared another Damper and I provided the entertainment with an impromptu Didgeridoo performance. Dinner was the rest of last nights stew with damper all washed down with a good bottle of red.

Lightning Ridge

Drove into Lightning Ridge and thought not a bad looking town. We stayed at the Opal caravan Park which is a Top Tourist Park and very good. Great amenities block with glass shower doors. A couple of camp kitchens and one even has a Pizza Oven. 
 

Camp Kitchen Pizza Oven

Our Pizzas

The Finished Product

There is a solar heated pool kept at about 28 degrees C. But if that is not warm enough 300 mtrs down the road is an Artesian Water pool at about 37 degrees. A dip in here is just what long distance travellers need. 

Artesian Water Spa approx 38 deg C

 

Kay & Shirley enjoying the hot tub

We decided to stay 3nights and extended it to 4 nights. We found lots to do in this town.

 They have several self guided tours all sign posted by car doors. There are the Red Door, Yellow Door, Blue Door and Green Door tours. 

 

Yellow Car Door Tour Marker

 Places we visited included a mine with lots of carvings in the sandstone layer,

  

Carvings in the mine Sandstone

Buddha Carving

Wallace & Gromit

  a Cactus Garden

Above are Some of the cactus Plants

and a Castle built from local iron stone. 

Amigos Castle

Opal Mine with Mechanical Bucket Operating

Open Pit Mine

Church Built for Film Set

Stanley the 18 Metre High Emu

 

Our last night in town we caught the courtesy bus to the Bowls Club for dinner. Our meals ordered and drinks on the table we waited for our meals. After waiting for about 40 minutes we inquired when they would arrive. The staff informed us that the order somehow failed to reach the kitchen. We were given our money back plus the meals we ordered and drink vouchers each.

Sausage & Mash plus Free Red filled to the Hilt

  Lightning Ridge is a very nice town and a great place to visit.