Black Opal Tours was commenced in December 1972 by Opal Mining couple Val & Robina Boardman who had been mining at the top of the 3 Mile since 1969. They had come to the Ridge like so many other people for a short time, and today in 2004 they find they have been here 35 years!!

The idea came to them because, being naturally friendly people, many visitors would call down the mineshaft to speak to them or spoke to them while they were sitting under the back of their truck eating lunch in the shade, asking endlesss questions about Mining and the way of life in "Lightning Ridge" the "Home of Black Opal".

They wanted to Catch the Opal Bug! too.

It would not be long before the visitors were taken on a day’s Mining or shown as much as time allowed. So much time was taken up with Tourism that Val and Robina thought there must be a need for tours and this may supplement their spasmodic income from opal mining.

Enlightening Opal Tours began on the 11th of December 1972. This being a play on words for Lightning Ridge but it soon changed to the more popular and well remembered Black Opal Tours.

Val & Robina who have developed many and varied interests ran this until April 1994 when they sold the business to take up Wholesaling of Black Opal jewellery and the Tours were in turn sold again. It was only when the present owners wanted to leave Town and it was feared the business would close that Val & Robina decided to buy it back on the 7 th November 2002.

Much has changed over the years but not the genuine friendly interest the owners have in showing visitors the past and the present Lightning Ridge.