Artesian Bore Baths

The Lightning Ridge Artesian Bore Baths were established in the early 1960s, offering hot mineral waters drawn from the Great Artesian Basin. Still in regular use today, the baths are a distinctive feature of the Ridge and a popular meeting place after a long day on the opal fields, mining or touring.

The baths are fed by Llanillo Bore No. II, which was sunk in 1960–61 for the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission (WCIC). The bore was sunk by John Smith and his offsider Kevin Dawson. The Llanillo Trust, made up of regional graziers, funded the bore at a cost of around £70,000. It was one of the last bores in New South Wales permitted to feed open bore drains.

Llanillo No. 2 bore head, which feeds the Bore Baths. Sunk 1960-1961. *Photograph: Lightning Ridge Historical Society collection.*

In 1962, proposals were made to build bathing facilities to share the hot water with the community. An application was submitted to the Llanillo Bore Trust in 1963, and construction of the bore baths began shortly after. Walgett Shire Council financed the initial build, with further improvements, such as handrails and lighting, added in 1965. The original facilities were basic, consisting of a white weatherboard bathhouse.

For many miners and off-grid residents, the baths were the only regular access to hot water for washing or laundry. The site quickly became a social hub.

In 1986, a $50,000 government grant funded a new amenities block as part of a Bicentennial project. The current bathhouse was built in 1988 using local gravel pressed into blocks, a project overseen by the late Bob Hewlett. Outdoor showers were added in 2006.

Lightning Ridge Artesian Bore Baths, 1965. *Photograph: Lightning Ridge Historical Society collection.*

In 1999, Walgett Shire Council formally took over management of the site. The bore head was capped that same year, and water was redirected via piping to reduce evaporation losses. A portion of the flow is also piped to opal processing tanks on the mining fields.

Today, the Lightning Ridge Bore Baths continue to serve as both a practical amenity and a social institution. The water, believed to be a remedy for aches and pains and a general source of rejuvenation, is a key part of the local experience. For those living off-grid, and for visitors seeking something unique to the outback, it remains a warm and welcome soak at the edge of civilisation.

Article: Edited by Russell Gawthorpe. LRHS research compiled by Len Cram and Barbara Moritz. Sources: Lightning Flash Newspaper, 20 December 1985, 28 August 1986, 14 August 1986, 13 July 1995.