Sydney to Lightning Ridge road trip: Distance, time & best stops

Sydney to Lightning Ridge road trip: Gilgandra and Coonamble

Otherwise, head on to Gilgandra.

The best attraction in Gilgandra is Orana Cactus World, an astonishing labour of love where more than a thousand species of cacti have been gathered.

Gilgandra accommodation options include the solid Cooee Motel and the Castlereagh Motor Inn, which comes with a small pool.

Further along the Castlereagh Highway, the small settlements of Curban, Gulargambone and Combara are instantly forgettable.

Coonamble is slightly bigger, and has a surprisingly large collection of art deco buildings. There’s also a good smattering of public art, with the painted water tower being the highlight.

If you want to stay the night in order to experience Coonamble’s classic old country pubs, there are a few Coonamble accommodation options. The Terminus Hotel has a small water park and the Castlereagh Lodge Motel is handily central.

Sydney to Lightning Ridge drive: Coonamble to Lightning Ridge

From Coonamble, the Sydney to Lightning Ridge road trip continues towards Walgett.

Things to do in Walgett include the Norman Tracker Walford Walkway along the Namoi River, which tells tales of Aboriginal trackers. The highlight is the Artesian Bore Baths, however – these natural baths have a constant temperature between 38 and 40 degrees Celsius.

Walgett accommodation options are limited. The Pink House is the best of an iffy bunch, while the Coolabah Motel will do a job.

But you might as well keep going the extra 50 minutes to Lightning Ridge. The top attractions in this outback opal mining town include the artesian bore baths, a mine tour with Opal Mine Adventure and the remarkable underground art gallery, Chambers of the Black Hand.