Latest news with #LightningRidge
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Antiques Roadshow guest bluntly dismisses brooch as 'hideous' - but soon eats her words as she learns its life-changing value
An Antiques Roadshow guest bluntly dismissed a brooch as 'hideous' but soon ate her words when she learnt its life-changing value. A previous episode of the popular BBC show saw expert Joanna Hardy presented with two family heirlooms. The guest brought along a stunning diamond brooch alongside a beautiful opal piece. Joanna admired the opal brooch and described it as 'superb,' while she called the diamond 'fabulous'. The guest explained how the brooches came into her possession and said: 'The opal actually came from my husband's family, because his father went to Australia and I think he brought it back because he loved opals. 'So, I just have to say at the beginning as well, that I have given all of these already to my daughters.' Joanna went on to explain how black opals, like the one on the brooch, were frequently found in Lightning ridge, Australia, but are 'incredibly rare'. She added: 'And when we say black opal, it is because it's got the dark background as opposed to other opals where you will have a whitish background. 'This is just a fabulous example. I mean, it is the complete colour of a rainbow and they've always been a sign of good luck. I know people think that opals are bad luck but they're not.' The expert revealed the stone dated back to the late Victorian period and was 'museum quality'. But when Joanna moved onto the diamond brooch, the guest abruptly commented: 'I think it's hideous.' 'Now that's not what I was expecting you to say,' Joanna replied, chuckling. The guest explained: 'Well it's completely unwearable and it's known in the family as the soup plate. 'Don't ask me why it got called the soup plate, I have no idea but it came to our family through an uncle who used to do a grand tour in the summers.' She went on to share how the brooch was given to the guest's mother before being passed to her older brother, who then gave it back. The jewellery expert revealed the brooch contained an eight carat diamond that was 'quite large'. However, the guest remained unimpressed and said: 'Yeah it is quite big. But it's not a very pretty one though. It's a sort of slightly dull yellow.' Joanna explained that the value of diamonds had changed in the 'last decade' and said: 'There's been more appreciation of stones that are not your D flawless, they all look the same, they've all got the same proportions.' She then went on to valuate both of the brooches and, referring to the diamond piece, said: ''That is going to be in the region of around about £35,000.' 'Right,' the stunned guest replied. Joanna added: 'So with the opal at auction, you'd be looking at £40,000 comfortably.'
Daily Telegraph
09-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
Inside the cheapest homes in NSW
Two unique homes – one with a mysterious dunny out the back and an unusual shower setup – have been listed for a rock bottom price that's made them the cheapest homes for sale in NSW, outside of retirement communities. Listed at $45,000 each, these NSW homes are over 27 times cheaper than the state's median property price of $1.24 million. Located in the remote towns of Lightning Ridge and Brewarrina, these residencies are far from the creature comforts of the city, each situated in NSW's northwest. The separate locations are both over eight-hour's drive from Sydney. The Lightning Ridge property, located on Stoneys Rd, is in need of considerable refurbishing. It is described by the listing as a 'one-to-two bedroom camp', with an open-plan living and kitchen area and a bathroom with a separate toilet. There are also two garden sheds and a water tank on the premises. There is an outdoor toilet too – with listing images revealing an interior stacked with firewood. Pictures of the shower reveal a setup with a bucket and hose – although it is not clear what purpose they serve. MORE:Man's outrageous home bling has everyone talking Lightning Ridge – an opal mining town – recorded a population of 1,946 during the 2021 census. Sitting on the Queensland border, the town is 726km from Sydney and 719km from Brisbane. Even for the area, this property is a bargain, with the median price of homes in Lightning Ridge being $190,000 as of June 2025. MORE: Suburbs where prices are rising by $1k a day This Brewarrina property – also listed at $45,000 – is described by the listing as a 'renovator's delight'. Southwest of Lightning Ridge, the town of Brewarrina recorded a population of 743 in the 2021 Census. The one-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage was constructed in 1958 and includes a single car garage, a lounge and a kitchen and dining area. The lounge and bedroom include reverse cycle airconditioning, suitable for the hot summers in the state's northwest. MORE:Home reno warning Aussies shouldn't ignore MORE: Aussie celebs' most bitter, expensive divorces exposed It appears to need a good amount of elbow grease to get up and running, with the listing stating that the bathroom, kitchen and laundry will require 'some repairs to revitalise their use'. According to the listing, the block is 'divided into three yards', with a stable in the third yard that has been damaged by a fallen tree branch. The property is just below the median house price in Brewarrina of $57,500. According to PropTrack, the median price of a home in regional NSW has grown 4.3 per cent in the year to July 2025, more than Sydney's annual growth of 3.3 per cent.
News.com.au
08-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Inside the cheapest homes in NSW
Two unique homes – one with a mysterious dunny out the back and an unusual shower setup – have been listed for a rock bottom price that's made them the cheapest homes for sale in NSW, outside of retirement communities. Listed at $45,000 each, these NSW homes are over 27 times cheaper than the state's median property price of $1.24 million. Located in the remote towns of Lightning Ridge and Brewarrina, these residencies are far from the creature comforts of the city, each situated in NSW's northwest. The separate locations are both over eight-hour's drive from Sydney. The Lightning Ridge property, located on Stoneys Rd, is in need of considerable refurbishing. It is described by the listing as a 'one-to-two bedroom camp', with an open-plan living and kitchen area and a bathroom with a separate toilet. There are also two garden sheds and a water tank on the premises. There is an outdoor toilet too – with listing images revealing an interior stacked with firewood. Pictures of the shower reveal a setup with a bucket and hose – although it is not clear what purpose they serve. Lightning Ridge – an opal mining town – recorded a population of 1,946 during the 2021 census. Sitting on the Queensland border, the town is 726km from Sydney and 719km from Brisbane. Even for the area, this property is a bargain, with the median price of homes in Lightning Ridge being $190,000 as of June 2025. This Brewarrina property – also listed at $45,000 – is described by the listing as a 'renovator's delight'. Southwest of Lightning Ridge, the town of Brewarrina recorded a population of 743 in the 2021 Census. The one-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage was constructed in 1958 and includes a single car garage, a lounge and a kitchen and dining area. The lounge and bedroom include reverse cycle airconditioning, suitable for the hot summers in the state's northwest. It appears to need a good amount of elbow grease to get up and running, with the listing stating that the bathroom, kitchen and laundry will require 'some repairs to revitalise their use'. According to the listing, the block is 'divided into three yards', with a stable in the third yard that has been damaged by a fallen tree branch. The property is just below the median house price in Brewarrina of $57,500. According to PropTrack, the median price of a home in regional NSW has grown 4.3 per cent in the year to July 2025, more than Sydney's annual growth of 3.3 per cent.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aussie dad's incredibly rare $46,000 discovery inside stone: 'Best in the world'
When Aussie dad Justin Thomas came across a parcel of rough stones mined from the famous opal region of Lightning Ridge, he knew he could turn them into something special. While he had no idea what the pieces of unprocessed stone purchased for $9,000 would look like when he was finished working on them, Justin was confident in the quality. The Gold Coast dad has now revealed the incredibly rare and lucrative discovery made inside one of the rocks — which recently sold for a whopping $46,000. "I didn't know it would cut such a beautiful pattern, that was the biggest surprise," he told Yahoo News of the stunning black opal gem. Lightning Ridge is one of the only places in the world where black opal, its rarest form, can be found. "It's the best opal in the world," Justin said, explaining it can fetch the highest price per carat across the world because of its unique features. "It's an anomaly unique to Lightning Ridge." Despite his trust in the quality of the items he'd purchased, Justin told Yahoo News there is "always an element of risk" cutting into any stone, because he doesn't know what he might uncover — inclusions or sand spots could even end up costing him money. "90 per cent of opal in a parcel doesn't cut," he explained, meaning that leaves just 10 per cent which can actually be turned into a gem for sale. "Every time I cut an opal, it's an adventure," he said. Overcoming his nerves, Justin began sanding down the imperfections on the piece, documenting the two-hour process on YouTube. Remarkably, the piece was far better than ever expected, featuring a "very unique" and highly prized harlequin pattern, making it a one-in-10,000 find. What's remarkable is that Justin discovered not one but two stunning pieces that would go on to be worth $46,000 each. While one oval-shaped stone sold, the second butterfly wing-shaped piece is still available online on his website, Black Opals Direct. "It was an anomaly that happened twice in two stones," he explained. Justin, who documents the highs and the lows of the industry, explained that regular viewers "don't see profit margins like that" on other pieces. Justin has been in the industry since he was 18 years old, when he followed in his father's footsteps. "My dad came out from Germany in the late 50's and in 1961 he went to the mining fields and learnt how to cut and mine for opals and started his own business," he explained. He eventually started his own business, Black Opals Direct, and now shares the highs and lows of the industry on a YouTube channel with his son Saxon. 💎 Woman stunned by incredible 4kg discovery in Aussie dirt 😱 Aussie's valuable find on river's edge after wild weather 💫 Aussie's incredible outback find worth $35k: 'Once in a lifetime' Justin described the opal industry in Australia as "very healthy", with supply being the greatest challenge. Fellow opal cutter Wayne Sedawie told Yahoo News previously that finding "good opal" in Australia is "getting harder and harder". A new craze of amateurs attempting to cut their own opals means that there is a "false economy" where rough opals are more expensive than cut stones, according to Justin. "Most people start out trying it out as a hobby," he explained. Justin's advice to anyone looking to learn the trade is to get started on inexpensive opal. "You see a lot of people waste a lot of money," he said. "Learn to cut on pieces of opal that don't have much colour and be very cautious about spending too much if you don't know what you're buying," he said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Backbone of health': new plan for rural maternity care
An outback woman was fully prepared for a four-hour trip to the closest hospital to give birth. Living in Lightning Ridge, in far western NSW, the expectant mum was pragmatic about the long journey ahead. But she had not anticipated the dearth of basic care once she and her baby returned home. The woman, an emergency worker, told a NSW rural health inquiry of her experience waiting for weeks to see a GP or a nurse to help her with post-birth complications and an unsettled baby. "As a first-time mum, being pregnant in Lightning Ridge was downright scary and being a mum to a newborn ... is harder than it should be," she wrote to the 2022 inquiry. Stories like these shared at federal and state inquiries in recent years, along with the continued closure of rural birthing services across Australia, has prompted a new plan for maternity care in the bush. Peak health bodies, including the Rural Doctors Association and the National Rural Health Alliance, have backed the first rural maternity framework to be released since 2008. The framework urges government investment in maternity services co-designed with locals, including First Nations communities, along with a focus on continuity of care from known clinicians before, during and after birth. There should also be clear access to miscarriage and abortion care and a guarantee of telehealth or outreach services in remote areas. Scholarships for rural students could be established to get more locals into maternity health roles, in a "grow your own" program, the framework said. There was a 41 per cent reduction in maternity services across Australia in the decade to 2011, mostly in small towns, and larger regional birthing units have been frequently placed on bypass due to staff shortages. New strategies were needed to ensure country families receive equitable care, National Rural Health Commissioner Jenny May said. "A rural maternity service is the backbone of healthcare service delivery - keeping families close, communities strong, and ensuring safe beginnings for the next generation, while supporting the sustainability of local industry through a stable and thriving population," Professor May said. Major regional maternity services have been placed on bypass intermittently across several states, including in Gladstone, Queensland, and Camperdown, Victoria. Those services resumed in 2023 and 2024. In NSW, Tamworth hospital is under immense pressure, while Bathurst, Lithgow and Kempsey maternity units are on the brink of closing down, a 2024 rural health inquiry found. Those kind of scenarios increased the risk faced by rural women and their babies, Rural Doctors Association president RT Lewandowski said. "Women and families often have to travel significant distances or relocate to a town or city with birthing facilities which is expensive, stressful and not acceptable for rural families living in Australia in 2025," Dr Lewandowski said.
