Lightning Ridge Opal Mines
Lightning Ridge Opal Mines
5
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Melbourne's Number One Experience! Come in and learn about Australia's National Gemstone. Browse and select from our stunning selection of opals and opal jewellery and check out our Wildlife display - a little piece of the Outback in Melbourne's CBD. We are open Mon-Fri 9.30Am - 5.30Pm and Sat/Sun from 10.00Am-5.00Pm.
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Address
Neighbourhood: Central Business District
Full of discovery and delight, Melbourne’s laneways tease the imagination long after you’ve put your weary feet up to rest. They weave through the heart of the city: cafes, bars, restaurants and boutiques, throbbing with conversation and espresso coffee. You never quite know what you’ll find around the next corner: cobblestone alleys, old beer barrel hoists and even vats of simmering organic soup. There is the air of Berlin in the street art, a touch of Paris in the umbrella-shaded cafes and, reminiscent of Rome, eateries tucked away in the most unlikely of places. Perhaps you might want a break and cross the Yarra River to Southbank - walk along the promenade, bask in the sun at a waterside bar and decide whether to go to the nearby casino or book a ticket at the Melbourne theatre company.
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5.0
134 reviews
Excellent
117
Very good
16
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Julian B
11 contributions
Aug 2023 • Solo
As jewellery shops go, this is by a land slide the best I've ever been into. The thing is, its not just a jewellery store, it's drenched in history, family run with heaps of character.
Upon arrival to the store you'll be shown the different types of Opals with a very informative introduction to the history and grading. Shout out to Stuart, who really took the time to show me around the store. Loved every second. Also to Kira for being so welcoming.
This is as much an attraction as a jewellery store. The pieces are stunning, and from what I was told they have some of the best in the city.
I must mention Stumpy the lizard, who I can only assume is the mascot.
Thank you both for your time and patience, I will definitely be returning sometime soon.
Upon arrival to the store you'll be shown the different types of Opals with a very informative introduction to the history and grading. Shout out to Stuart, who really took the time to show me around the store. Loved every second. Also to Kira for being so welcoming.
This is as much an attraction as a jewellery store. The pieces are stunning, and from what I was told they have some of the best in the city.
I must mention Stumpy the lizard, who I can only assume is the mascot.
Thank you both for your time and patience, I will definitely be returning sometime soon.
Written 5 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey Julian,
We're sorry we missed this terrific review. Thanks so much for taking the time for us :)
Written 24 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
arodger1
Barrie, Canada854 contributions
Oct 2014 • Friends
We loved our visit here! Definitely worth while! We received a free 15 minute tour where you get to see how opals are made and processed and we learned a lot about opals we would have never known! A bonus to this attraction was getting to see and hold the reptiles here! The owner is very passionate and has been in the business all his life and even has pictures of himself mining opals! I would definitely recommend at least checking this place out!!
Written 12 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear arodger1. Thanks for your review. I'll pass on your comments to our founder, Nick. The big photo of him mining is quite something! He has many stories to tell about his time down the mines. We hope you'll visit us again one day.
:)
Written 13 November 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Iris A
Chatham, UK647 contributions
Feb 2017 • Solo
I picked up a free map at the tourist centre and it recommended to visit this opal shop. I think I would have gone past it if I wasn't looking for it, it's a small door leading down to a basement shop. Luckily it was quiet when I got there and a lovely young lady approached me immediately and offered to show me around. I had absolutely no clue about opals and she gave me an interesting demonstration on polishing mining, etc and showed me lizards and spiders that the miners would encounter. I've never seen so many different types of opals and she explained all the different methods of preparation, I was speechless. It was one of the highlights of my 4 short days visiting Melbourne, this shop deserves a place under Attractions, not just Shopping!!
Written 12 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the amazing review! We used to be listed as an Attraction, but Tripadvisor changed our category (sadly!). We think that we're much more than just a shop too! Thanks again - we're really grateful.
Written 16 May 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Djarmila1978
Wuppertal, Germany168 contributions
Nov 2014 • Solo
Because of the good reviews here in Tripadvisor I went to learn a bit about opals in this showroom myself when visiting Melbourne. The owner immediately greeted me and went to tell me a bit about how opals are extracted and processed. Of course he introduced me to his lizzards, spiders and snakes as well. Thankfully I got to hold the snake and a lizzard only.
I learned about doublets and triplet opal jewellery by a female employee so I actually had a sense what I was looking at when checking the opal jewellery displayed in the showroom.
All the time I felt really like talking to a good acquaintance and I want to thank both the owner and his nice employee for the good and friendly service.
I even found the perfect opal jewellery for me :-)
I learned about doublets and triplet opal jewellery by a female employee so I actually had a sense what I was looking at when checking the opal jewellery displayed in the showroom.
All the time I felt really like talking to a good acquaintance and I want to thank both the owner and his nice employee for the good and friendly service.
I even found the perfect opal jewellery for me :-)
Written 18 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Djarmila1978. Incredible review - thank you! We really take a lot of pride in our customer service and our "no hassle" policy. And of course, those creatures are fabulous. The real stars are, of course, the opals. I'm glad you had fun in our store, and are the proud owner of a little piece of Australia.
Written 19 November 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Melinda G
Wheeling, West Virginia, United States56 contributions
June 2014 • Friends
After reading reviews on Trip advisor, I visited this shop. The owner was exactly as described, very friendly and entertaining. I learned good information about opals and the mining of them. The daughter was very friendly and helpful in picking out my jewelry selection. There was NO pressure to buy anything, but I love Australian opals and went with the intention to purchase. I mentioned Trip advisor and got a 10% discount.
Written 23 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jeanaux
Chicago, IL28 contributions
This place was much cooler than I expected. We went here expecting to learn a bit and be given a bit of a sales pitch along with it but it's much better. They're really informative and entertaining and didn't try to push anything on us at all. They have a huge range of opals, more than I've ever seen. Everything seemed reasonably priced if you are looking to buy, and there's also bonus lizzards and snakes and spiders to see which I thought was pretty awesome as well.
Written 12 March 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DavePen49
Penmaenmawr, UK235 contributions
Mar 2020
If you've a half an hour to spare it's worth a visit. Learn the history of the larger than life character that started it all.
Written 17 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the great review. We really appreciate it!
Written 29 January 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
MaryMBonham
Myrtle Beach, SC3 contributions
Feb 2019 • Friends
What a find! My daughter and I were travelling on a cruise and Melbourne was one of our stops. We decided to explore the area on our own, but stopped at the information counter to ask about an opal shop. We weren't looking for the touristy, everyone has the same things, kind of shop. We were told to try Lightning Ridge and are so glad that we did.
Immediately upon heading down the steps to this little gem, we were welcomed by Talitha, who is a gem herself. She asked if we knew much about opals and if we wanted to learn. YES, we did. They teach you as much as you want to know about the process from mining, to the beautiful end product, which they have plenty of. We spent several hours - yes, hours - there and never once did they make us feel we were a bother. Everyone pitched in with our selections from their unique offerings. We left with some great opals and quite a bit of knowledge we didn't have before entering this wonderful place. If you're in the area, it is a must see!
Immediately upon heading down the steps to this little gem, we were welcomed by Talitha, who is a gem herself. She asked if we knew much about opals and if we wanted to learn. YES, we did. They teach you as much as you want to know about the process from mining, to the beautiful end product, which they have plenty of. We spent several hours - yes, hours - there and never once did they make us feel we were a bother. Everyone pitched in with our selections from their unique offerings. We left with some great opals and quite a bit of knowledge we didn't have before entering this wonderful place. If you're in the area, it is a must see!
Written 8 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow! Thanks so much again. We're so happy you enjoyed the experience 😊
Written 9 March 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sansnape
Singapore, Singapore28 contributions
June 2018
Our visit started with the very warm Atheka tell us all about opals, making us feel like experts in less than 15 mins! Following that, we were left to comfortably roam and check out their fantastic collection. Prices are clearly stated and there is a good range. Ended up getting a beautiful loose black opal that I can’t stop staring at :) Would have been ideal if I could get them to set it on a ring, but that takes 2 weeks. For those who are looking for a lovely opal and experience, look no further.
Written 10 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow! Thanks for the lovely review. We hope you never stop staring at your opal😊.
Written 11 June 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Daniel A
338 contributions
Apr 2017 • Solo
Ive bought boulder opals last year but realized I made the wrong choices. I emailed to inform Atheka about my plan of returning the boulder opals to be exhanged for items of my choice. Atheka replied I can do so anytime whenever I visit Melbourne again.
I returned the items March 22 this year. I was met by Jason, Atheka's brother, where I told him I am going to return items Ive previously bought.
Without being asked to show the print out of Athekas reply to my emails last October 2016, I just presented Jason the original receipt for the purchase.
Natalie, helped me browse thru their opals but Jason picked for me a beautiful black opal as they have fresh stocks then.
The 2 black opals were made into a pendant by a jeweler in Phuket, Thailand.
Two thumbs up to Lightning Ridge Opal Mines.
I returned the items March 22 this year. I was met by Jason, Atheka's brother, where I told him I am going to return items Ive previously bought.
Without being asked to show the print out of Athekas reply to my emails last October 2016, I just presented Jason the original receipt for the purchase.
Natalie, helped me browse thru their opals but Jason picked for me a beautiful black opal as they have fresh stocks then.
The 2 black opals were made into a pendant by a jeweler in Phuket, Thailand.
Two thumbs up to Lightning Ridge Opal Mines.
Written 24 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for such a positive review. We're glad you were happy with the outcome.
Written 25 July 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I will be in Melbourne in September and am interested in buying rough opal. I want to know if this business sells uncut opal in various types? If so, what is the price range for modest size from white and boulder to black? I have cut and polished opals in the past so have a pretty good idea of what I would look for.
Written 25 August 2019
Hi! Sorry for the late reply. Unfortunately we don't sell rough opal, but we do sell specimens, but they're not suitable for cutting. It's quite hard to find rough (as you probably know!). Sorry that we couldn't be of assistance.
Written 5 September 2019
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