Indian’s Lookout

Indian’s Lookout (or Indian Lookout) is an opal field at Lightning Ridge, located on the southeast side of Sim’s Hill. It was named for an Indian opal miner known locally as Chunder Loo, who camped there and prospected nearby.

According to Stuart Lloyd, Chunder Loo “never stopped working,” and is credited with uncovering thin seams of bright red opal. The extent of the field’s production is unknown.

In his book, Gan Bruce names the miner as Joe Char Gow. From known records, Char Gow was Chinese, not Indian, and was associated with a shop at Three Mile Flat rather than the lookout.

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. 72; Lightning Ridge - The Home of the Black Opal: Unique to the World, Gan Bruce, 1983, p. 92.