Join us beneath a vast night sky for SPARK, a cinematic celebration of Lightning Ridge! SPARK is about what makes Lightning Ridge so special – why people come for a few days then stay a lifetime. Sit back under the stars, forget the world for a while and get back to town in time for dinner!

Created by renowned cinematographer, director and editor Martin Fox, sound artist Vic McEwan, local artists and dozens of residents, SPARK stars the people, land, opal and life of Lightning Ridge in Yuwaalaraay country.

SPARK is a creative initiative of the Australian Opal Centre, developed with the support of Arts NSW, 18 wonderful sponsors and hundreds of community members. Initially developed as a community arts project, it's now an unmissable part of any Lightning Ridge itinerary. SPARK ticket sales support the cultural, scientific and community programs of the Australian Opal Centre, a not for profit, community-initiated organisation established in 1998 by the people of the opal fields.

When: 6.30 - 7.30pm Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights* from 17 April until 4 October 2025

* Except Sat 26 April and Sat 17 May 2025, when we're screening FLiCKERFEST on tour! Buy your Flickerfest tickets here!

Where: AOC Black Opal Heritage Shed, 3 Mile Opal Field, Lightning Ridge

How much: Adult $18, Concession $16, Child $8, Family $50

Please arrive no later than 6.15pm (7.15pm on 30 March 2024)

We'll provide seating, fire bins and a beautiful big sky

You'll wear warm clothes and bring your tickets (please bring your ticket on your phone if you've purchased online)

You're welcome to bring blankets, drinks and snacks

Visit the Black Opal Heritage Shed (free entry) before or after SPARK to buy T-shirts and souvenirs and see Brilliant Ideas, an exhibition about innovations by ingenious miners and makers in the development of opal mining machinery and methods; and an opal cutting machine that's more than a century old

Rain: indoors, same venue (limited numbers)

Group bookings and parties welcome - call 02 6829 1667 or 0403 492 462

You’re welcome to arrive a bit early (any time from 6pm) to look inside the Shed (free entry with SPARK), where you can buy a T-shirt or souvenir, contemplate a century old opal cutting machine and enjoy ‘Brilliant Ideas’, an exhibition about the inventive opal miners and engineers who developed opal mining machinery for Lightning Ridge.

DIRECTIONS FROM LIGHTNING RIDGE

1. From Morilla St Lightning Ridge, turn south onto the 3 Mile Road.

2. Follow the brown AOC HERITAGE SHED signs and black SPARK signs (Yellow Car Door route) for 4.1km until you see the construction site for the new Australian Opal Centre and a large cream-coloured colorbond shed.

3. Follow the road to the shed.

4. Please follow any road detours parking instructions on site.

DOG POLICY

You may bring your dogs to SPARK as long as they are left in your car.

Previously, dogs were permitted to sit with their owners. However, due to incidents between the (normally well-behaved) dogs of audience members, and between audience members’ dogs and local dogs, we can no longer permit dogs in the audience area.

Thank you for your understanding.

WEATHER

If it rains, SPARK will screen indoors at the same venue. Audience numbers are limited for indoor screenings.

SPARK is a creative initiative of the Australian Opal Centre, originally produced with funding support from Arts NSW, 18 wonderful sponsors and dozens of local artists and community members. Visit www.australianopalcentre.com to find out more about the Australian Opal Centre and other fantastic AOC experiences, like the annual Lightning Ridge Fossil Dig and AOC Australian Opal Tour.

SPARK screens on Yuwaalaraay land. We recognise the continuous connection of Yuwaalaraay people, and First Nations people in all opal places, to their culture, community and country. We thank the Yuwaalaraay, Gamilaraay, Yuwaaliyaay and other First Nations people who participate in SPARK.