Top 8 Museums in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales

The colour and humour of life in the bush jumps out of the work with the whimsy and realism that sets John Murrays artwork apart from the pack. No visit to Lightning Ridge is complete without some time spent in the John Murray Art Gallery. Established in 1992 by creative duo John and Viki Murray to showcase John’s vibrant original acrylic paintings, the Gallery has since grown to include quality reproductions ranging from canvas prints and mounts to postcards and stubby coolers. The world-class gallery has retained its rustic roots and Australia’s leading outback artist continues to lure people from all over the country to see his endearing work first hand. Having lived on the opal fields for many years, Viki Murray has truly captured the personality of Lightning Ridge in her own unique photographic style. Whilst the Ridge is where she makes her bed, Viki is a sucker for a project where she has the opportunity to travel. This is why you’ll see a vast array of incredible photographs from India, Vietnam, Bali and coastal Australia mixed in with her bush photography. Viki likes to change her mediums as often as she does her subjects, you’ll be treated with rustic wooden prints, classic canvas and the sharp vibrancy aluminum prints bring to the table. From prints to books and cards, her works are quirky, eclectic, rustic and retro all rolled into one. Art that makes you smile.

Nestled on our family station Bando, Just Rustic is an eclectic collections of artefacts, indigenous artworks and weapons, early settler tools and implements, memorabilia and a large collections of working order engines dating back to the early 1900's. The collection also provides a rich and detailed history of the Lightning Ridge area and surrounds told by a local farming family.

A unique gallery of over 350 sandstone carvings plus murals painted on the sandstone walls in the sandstone level above the opal level of an old opal mine. Ron Canlin is the artist of this amazing attraction, 12 years passion and still carving daily, a real work in progress. After touring the carvings, Trevor Hudson with 30 years experience in mining and prospecting then takes you down to 2nd level where he will draw on his wealth of knowledge to give you a very informative talk on the geology and formation of opal, the drives and shafts were hand dug by the old timers over the past 100 years. Not to be missed, winner of the NSW 2008 Hidden Jewel award.

A dinosaur coming through the window, the world's greatest collection of opalised fossils, Harold Hodges' opal teeth, yabby buttons, Lightning Claw, plans for a 21st century Australian architectural icon...glimpse what's to come at the new Australian Opal Centre! Make your travel count: to save national treasures and support a visionary not-for-profit project, just join, donate or shop at the AOC!