Lightning Ridge is a small mining community (population at least 4500) in
North Western New South Wales, Australia. The community is responsible for the
worlds supply of the Rare Black Opal, which is also Australia's National
Gemstone. The Lightning Ridge Ambulance Station is responsible for the provision
of pre-hospital care to the town of Lightning Ridge, the mining fields and
various mining communities around Lightning Ridge and also the small communities
of Goodooga, Angledool and Hebel.
The Station is staffed by three permanent officers, is equipped with two
Ambulance Vehicles and is part of the Macquarie, Mid and Far West Area of the
Ambulance Service of New South Wales, which is reputed to be one of the
largest Ambulance Services in the World. The nearest Ambulance Stations to the
Lightning Ridge station is the Walgett Station, 80km to the South along the
Castlereagh Highway, the Collarenebri Station, 80km to the East along a dirt
road and the Dirranbandi Station (in the State of Queensland and part of the
Queensland Ambulance Service) 130km to the north along the Castlereagh
Highway.
