Distance from Sydney: 720km
Best hot springs in NSW to visit at sunset
Located on the fringes of this opal mining town, these pleasant pools are considered to be some of the finest of the state’s naturally heated baths. Which makes the fact that they are both free to access and open 24 hours a day even more remarkable. Percolating through the area’s unique geology (one of only a handful of places in the world where black opals can be found), the water in these bore baths takes almost two million years to reach the surface, fed by the aquifers of the Artesian basin that connect to the majority of the hot springs in Northern NSW. Once it bubbles up, it emerges at a blissful temperature of 40 degrees, rich in minerals and salts. A dip after dark is a particularly popular local pastime, so we suggest, when in Lightning Ridge, do as the Lightning Ridgians do.