Walshe’s

Walshe’s is an opal field located between the Telephone Line and Pony Fence fields, to the west of Fred Reece Way. It was discovered in 1912 by Harry Walsh.

The field had an average depth of 35 feet, to a maximum of 75 feet. A single opal bearing level, producing high quality opal. Walsh himself reportedly sold two parcels of mostly gem quality opal to buyer Pappa Francis, one valued at £500, and is estimated to have earned over £1,000 in total.

Other notable miners included Ned Hanlon, Jimmy Murray (brother of early miner Jack Murray), and Frank Elliot, who also operated a billiard room in Morilla Street. According to The Lightning Ridge Book by Stuart Lloyd, total production from Walshe’s had reached £22,000 by 1967.

• Walshe’s @ 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. 69; Lightning Ridge - The Home of the Black Opal: Unique to the World, Gan Bruce, 1983, p. 89; Discover Opals: Before and Beyond 2000 with Surface Indications, Stephen Aracic, 1996, p. 141.