Lightning Ridge Easter Festival

Day 1

Brisbane - Moree
Travel the Cunningham Highway through Warwick before arriving in Texas for lunch. Continue on through rich, fertile farming regions, arriving in Moree for our overnight stay.

Day 2

Moree - Lightning Ridge
Today we head further west via the little town of Collarenebri before arriving into Lightning Ridge for lunch. Enjoy a guided town tour before settling into our accommodation for the next four nights. This afternoon, we will venture out to one of the Easter Festival activities - the Rodeo, where you can purchase your own dinner from one of the food outlets. We also recommend bringing a compact folding chair for your comfort.

Day 3

Artesian Baths, Festivities and Races
A relaxing start today with a visit to the Artesian Bore Baths where the warm water comes from the Great Artesian Basin. Our motel is right in the middle of town and easy walking distance to most of the Easter festival activities. Purchase your own lunch today and enjoy some free time to see some of the activities. This afternoon, the Lightning Ridge Race Club holds its annual race meet. Be sure to pack your race wear and hat or fascinator, so you can dress up. This evening we'll dine at a local club and after dinner, you can stay to enjoy the live entertainment if you choose.

Day 4

Happy Easter!
Time has been allowed for those wishing to attend a church service this morning. Alternatively, you may choose to visit the markets or the 'Show and Shine' at the Golf Club, or other activities of the festival. Late morning, we will depart Lightning Ridge and travel to the outlying opal fields of Grawin, Glengarry and Sheepyard where you will get a glimpse of life in an authentic mining settlement. One of the highlights of the Easter Festival is the Yabby Races held at the Garwin Club in the Scrub pub. Purchase your own lunch here while being entertained by the fun of the Yabby Races. Later, discover the area including the Sheepyard community War Memorial, Lake Beard - built by miners, many of whom were Vietnam Veterans, before returning to Lightning Ridge for dinner.

Day 5

Lightning Ridge
Today we visit Chambers of the Black Hand for an informative and entertaining tour of an old opal mine with a difference. Next, stop at the Historical Society Museum and learn some history of the area. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before visiting Bevan's Black Opal and Cactus Nursery where you will be amazed by over 2,000 different species of cactus. Return to our motel for some free time and one last visit to the Artesian Bore Baths before dinner if you choose.

Day 6

Lightning Ridge - Goondiwindi
Today we farewell Lightning Ridge and travel north along the Castlereagh Highway. Journey through the small outback towns of Hebel and Dirranbandi before arriving at the Riversands Vineyard in St George. Enjoy lunch and a guided town tour before continuing on to Goondiwindi for our overnight stay.

Day 7

Goondiwindi - Brisbane
Today we travel the Gore Highway via Millmerran, arriving in Pittsworth for morning tea. Our journey continues via Toowoomba, one of the largest inland cities in Australia, before we descend the Great Dividing Range to Plainland for lunch. This afternoon we'll make our way back into Brisbane, where our crew will have your transfers arranged.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner