Dry Rush

There is a lot of historical confusion around the names, locations, founders and production of the Dry Rush fields. The following is based on information from Whiting & Relph (1962), Stuart Lloyd (1967) and Gan Bruce (1983).

Old Dry Rush (1913)

The original Dry Rush, now Old Dry Rush was discovered in 1913 by Jack Boules and his brother-in-law Percy “Dum” Brown (per Stuart Lloyd) or Jack Phillips (per Gan Bruce). Located on the eastern side of the old Walgett Road (now Fred Reece Way), just south of Telephone Line field. Despite its small size, the field produced notable finds. Darkey Robinson and Otto Marquet recovered £450-£800 worth of opal, while Victor Duplain and Dick Hougett also had success. Jack McNamara worked the area for ten years and passed away there in the 1930s. According to Whiting & Relph (1958), only four claims produced opal, with the deepest at 40 feet.

Dry Rush (1958) — near Nobby Hill

Found early 1958 by George Graham and “Cocky” Bruce, who found a small red stone while gouging in an old shaft near Nobby. John Molyneux and Neil Lohse, Tom and Dale Bruce and Cyril Mahoney, among others, had successful claims. At least 12 out of 15 shafts produced opal. Depths ranged from 28 to 32 feet, with opal recovered in or just below the steel band.

• Dry Rush @ MinView.

Article: Research by Russell Gawthorpe and Leisa Carney, edited by Russell Gawthorpe. LRHS research compiled by Len Cram and Barbara Moritz. Sources: The Lightning Ridge Book, Stuart Lloyd, 1967, p. 70; Lightning Ridge - The Home of the Black Opal: Unique to the World, Gan Bruce, 1983, pp. 72-74, 92; The Occurrence of Opal at Lightning Ridge and Grawin, with Geological Notes on County Finch, J. W Whiting & R. E. Relph, 1958, p. 10; Discover Opals: Before and Beyond 2000 with Surface Indications, Stephen Aracic, 1996, p. 141.