All things are interesting things.
All things are interesting things!
Saltbush is common in semi-arid and arid Australia, and some of it is quite tasty.
In this episode of Bush Botany, Warwick Schofield shows us the ruby saltbush, one of the species of saltbush that has adapted to live in the semi-arid desert-like environment around Lightning Ridge.
This video was made with the help and support of Warwick Schofield with support from Margaret Schofield and Kay Wotherspoon.
Belemnites, coprolites, plesiosaurs and peculiarities -- check out some of the amazing donations added to the Australian Opal Centre's incredible collection this year!
Special thanks to Jenni Brammall and Dr. Elizabeth Smith for their enthusiasm and patience!
We 3D scanned a 25+ year old Lightning Ridge opal mine and created a visualisation of the entire mine. Special thanks to Shaun Galman for allowing access to the mine, providing safety briefings and supporting this creation of this video.
I cannot stress this enough - mine safety is important. Opal mines, opal mining claims and opal fields are dangerous places with hazards you may not be familiar with and cannot predict. Entering a mineral claim without the express permission of the claim owner is considered criminal trespass and can be prosecuted. Entering mine diggings without the presence of a trained and experienced miner is an extreme risk and is never, ever recommended.
There are many species of Acacia in Australia, and here are four of them native to the semi-arid region surrounding the opal fields at Lightning Ridge -- including one that's famous for smelling awful!
In the fourth episode of Bush Botany, Warwick Schofield takes us to the Gidgee Forest via several other species of wattle.
Clarification: In this video I mention that some species of Acacia have modified leaf stems or cladodes in place of normal leaves. The correct term is “phyllodes” from the Ancient Greek "phullodes", meaning “leaf-like”. A phyllode is a modified leaf stem, whereas a cladode is a modified stem. Ultimately their function is very similar, but the terminology differs.
What exactly is jelly opal, and what are inclusions -- and even more specifically, what are kernels? Opal and opal mining terminology is pretty strange, let's explore it.
Strange flowers, shiny leaves and a snack for koalas - the Bimble Box tree at Lightning Ridge.
In this third episode of Bush Botany, Warwick Schofield shows us the Bible Box, a commonplace eucalyptus with some strange characteristics and a great relationship with native fauna.
In 1974, pop star Neil Sedaka released a song about Lightning Ridge, the opal mining town in NSW, Australia. But...why?
In this video I chat with Stephen Terrey, the Lightning Ridge resident who inspired Mr. Sedaka's odd b-side, described by the artist himself as "the strangest song I ever wrote".
Opal comes in all shapes and sizes, and so do the words that are used to describe it. What are pea nobbies, point stones and opal chips?
This video was made with the assistance of Vicki at Down to Earth Opals at Lightning Ridge!
There's a secret group of weird organisms that make life possible -- and you've probably never noticed them.
In the second episode of Bush Botany, we meet up with Warwick Schofield to investigate cryptogams, a group of plant-like organisms with some strange properties and an important role to play. (Plus something weird that happened during World War II.)
This video was made with the assistance of Warwick Schofield, with acknowledgements to Margaret Schofield, Kay Wotherspoon and Susan Keckes.
Streets of Sydney, a 1952 radio drama and a celebrity's birthplace? Three quick stories about Lightning Ridge!
Curiosity Mine and The Dinomaniacs arrange for Mike Poben, discoverer of Weewarrasaurus pobeni to have a first hand encounter with a recreation of his own dinosaur!
Special thanks to The Dinomaniacs for their patience and enthusiasm in helping to make this video. Thanks also to the Australian Opal Centre at Lightning Ridge, and of course Mike Poben for his discovery, participation and good nature.
There's a deadly menace on the Australian opal fields, it's nasty, has two-inch spines and it kills.
Hudson Pear is an invasive cactus species that has unfortunately infested large areas of the opal fields at Lightning Ridge, NSW, Australia. It has also spread to the other Australian opal fields, and is spreading throughout the rest of the country.
In the first video in the Bush Botany series, featuring Warwick Schofield, we look at Hudson Pear. Its origins, its biology, its interaction with humans and animals, its impact on the opal fields, its future spread. We also look at methods of controlling the cactus outbreak, past and present, and how YOU can help to contain and limit the spread of this vicious plant.
Was there a piece of Australian opal in an episode of Star Trek? And while we're at it, has opal ever appeared in Star Trek before?
This video was inspired by Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season one, episode four, "Memento Mori". You can watch Strange New Worlds on Paramount Plus: https://www.paramountplus.com
Is this the tiniest dinosaur ever found in Australia? Quite possibly! Two fossils found four decades apart tell the story of embryonic dinosaurs in prehistoric outback Australia.
This video features Dr. Phil Bell from the University of New England Armidale at the Australian Opal Centre's annual Fossil Dig!
Built in the 1930s, the heritage cottage in Morilla Street, Lightning Ridge was home to the Spicer family and the Graham brothers, and now houses part of the LRHS's extensive opal mining heritage collection.
In this video I speak with Barbara Moritz, secretary and treasurer of the LRHS about the shack's significance, history and role in the foundation of the society that now works to protect and preserve Lightning Ridge history in all forms.
Let's have a look at the only time Lightning Ridge has ever appeared in a video game -- the same video game as everywhere else!
Special thanks to Chris for recording the game footage used in this video.
Prehistoric animals ate a lot of things, and whatever they ate had to come back out again somehow -- lets check out some coprolites and regurgitalites!
Special thanks to Dr. Elizabeth Smith and Jenni Brammall for their assistance, patience and good humour.
For decades opal has been traditionally cut into the oval cabochon shape, but now opal carving is quickly becoming a great alternative. We discuss the pros and cons and examine some incredible examples of carved opal.
This video was made with the help of Down to Earth Opals, at Lightning Ridge. Special thanks to Vicki and Andrew at DTEO.
Engineer, blacksmith and innovator Harry Zack built this metalworking anvil almost a century ago from recycled parts -- check out how recycling and reuse has been part of Lightning Ridge's opal mining heritage since the very beginning.
This video was made with the help of the Lightning Ridge Historical Society with special thanks to Barbara Moritz.
Doublets, triplets and mosaics are ways of making something more out of something less, and an artform in their own right. I spoke with Vicki at Down To Earth Opals at Lightning Ridge about these kinds of opals, and looked at some spectacular examples!
Welcome to Opalwords, a series of videos about the terminology used in the opal mining industry and specifically at the opal mining location of Lightning Ridge in Northern New South Wales, Australia, and the home of the black opal.