Angledool's first hotelkeeper, it lasted only six years under
the license of Joe Hammond, changing hands a number of times
.It was eventually pulled down by George Kirkpatrick in 1890
and incorporated it into his Exchange Hotel at Angledool.

Today, Lightning Ridge after 98 years of mining, is the
fastest growing town in north-west New South Wales, with a
great future producing large quantities of fine black opal.
It is the only known place on earth where this breathtaking
world-famous black opal is found. Yet when Sydney's gem
merchants, shrewd as they were, saw the first black opals in
1903, they rejected them outright as a worthless form of
matrix, thereby losing a fortune for themselves.

The true story of Lightning Ridge is one of faith, courage,
struggle and luck in the face of almost contemptuous
disbelief and bitter feuds with the graziers of the day.
They, in their own hypocritical way, formed the first mining
syndicate, and after abandoning it, tried to force the miners
from the field by impounding their horses and poisoning their
water. Finally, only intervention by the Government brought
about peace in those troublesome times.

White Cliffs was directly responsible for the opening up of
Lightning Ridge. By the turn of the century White Cliffs was
slowing down and many were leaving. One such person was
Charlie Nettleton, who was destined to stamp his name across
the annals of Lightning Ridge history. A former gold miner
from Mt Brown, Charlie had been trying his luck at White
Cliffs and, before leaving, had heard of gold on the
Queensland border north of Lightning Ridge, near Goodooga.
Having little money, Nettleton demonstrated his tenacity and
toughness by walking from White Cliffs during the summer of
1901- 02 in search of the gold.

On his way he camped with the Ryan family at Lightning Ridge,
boundary riders for Angledool station, whose hut was to the
west of the present-day town. It was here he was shown some
fiery black stones which he recognised as opal, but it was a
kind he had never seen before.

Although opal had been found in a local gravel pit as early
as 1887, mining was not commenced until Jack Murray, a
boundary rider for Dunumbral station, found the gem in 1900
while setting a rabbit trap on what is now called the Shallow
Nobby's. Mining whenever possible, it eventually cost him his
job. The manager said he could do better things with his time
than dig up the property.

Joe Beckett, publican of the Weetalibah Inn, just north of
Lightning Ridge, took a deep interest in the opal. Eric
Reece, a well-educated Aborigine who knew Beckett well, told
me Beckett bought the first opal.

Beckett was also the first to recognise the possibilities of
a new field, but lacked an experienced miner for his plans.
Meeting Nettleton solved this problem.

Beckett formed a syndicate, which included Nettleton, and
grubstaked him while he began prospecting. Nettleton's
determination to market the gem, following the syndicate's
collapse, is the reason he is so well remembered.

He started his first shaft on 15 October 1902, in an area
later to become known as McDonald's Six Mile. The area was
never named after him and today the shaft is preserved as a
tourist site in the care of the Lightning Ridge Historical
Society.

Duffing his first shaft early in 1903, he moved across to the
Shallow Nobby's and worked longside Jack Murray and six
newcomers - Bob Buckley, Natty Hennissey, Peter Ferguson and
the three Canfell brothers, Mick, Tom and Jim.

He soon produced a fine parcel of opal from which 80 ounces
were selected and sent to a well-known Sydney dealer.
Anything but impressed, he replied, "It's far too young, a
worthless form of matrix." He offered 10 shillings for the
lot.

The offer of 10 shillings caused the collapse of the
syndicate and a change of heart towards the miners who were
arriving on the field daily. The situation served only to
make Nettleton more determined to keep the field active and
to sell their hard-won opal.

In his endeavour to do so, he rolled up his swag and set off
for White Cliffs, taking Jack Murray with him, who also had
opal for sale. They walked the 300 kilometres to Bourke,
taking odd jobs along the way, then caught a paddlewheeler
down the Darling to Wilcannia and walked the last 100
kilometres to White Cliffs, arriving in November 1903.

Only one buyer, E. F. Murphy who bought the parcel on the 11
November for 15 pounds, showed any interest. It was a down
payment, promising to pay more if his principal, Tullie
Wollaston, in Adelaide, accepted the opal.

Nettleton's decision to accept the offer is possibly the most
important in the history of Lightning Ridge. If he had
refused, it may have been decades before the field developed.
Murphy said later he was quite uncertain of the black stones,
having no idea of their value. At least he was prepared to
punt a few pounds, which is more than can be said for the
other White Cliffs buyers.

Wollaston was delighted when he saw the opal. He ordered
Murphy to buy as much as he could, eventually sending him to
Lightning Ridge, and so the Ridge's future was assured.

Since those early turbulent days, the Ridge has developed
into a bustling mining community, with over 70 fields and
more being found every year. Should you want a holiday with a
difference and the chance of finding a beautiful opal, the
Ridge is the place for you. There is something for everyone.
You may fall in love with it, like so many do, and stay on
and become one of the locals. Whichever way it goes, you will
never forget your visit to the Ridge.