Frog Hollow

Frog Hollow is an opal field located on the eastern side of Lunatic Hill, overlooking Lorne Station. It was discovered in 1910 by Phil Herbert.

The field was relatively shallow, typically between 6 and 25 feet. Opal was found at two levels around 17 and 25 feet. Some promising material was uncovered, including a 140 gram (five ounce) nobby found in October 1911, but much of the opal from the field was known to crack or become webby.

Frog Hollow has long had issues with groundwater, a very wet field in the years following the floods of 1949–50, and abandoned shafts in the area have been known to fill with water.

A new rush occurred in July 1931. Notable miners on the field included Jim Steel and Bill Willard. According to The Lightning Ridge Book by Stuart Lloyd, production totalled £19,000 by 1967.

• Frog Hollow @ 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. 61; Lightning Ridge - The Home of the Black Opal: Unique to the World, Gan Bruce, 1983, p. 75; 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. 143.