But among the heat and dust of Lightning Ridge there are other gems – the women of the opal fields who call this place home. ...

Studying palaeontology was a logical next step, and years later it motivated a move to the opal mining fields in north-west New South Wales. With two children, Liz and her husband Bob lived in ...

Even in designated opal fields, you need luck, and months, or even years, of patience to find them. "Half of it is in your head," says Mr Stutley. "You have to think positive, otherwise you wouldn ...

The "echidnapus", bottom left, is among six monotreme species discovered at Lightning Ridge opal fields Scientists have discovered a bizarre creature dubbed the "echidnapus" which they believe ...