Lightning Ridge hunt for Opals

Day one did not go to plan. The intercooler hose had strong opinions about the drive to Dubbo, and Craig ended up doing roadside engineering with a metal bracket and zip ties.

The Old Dubbo Gaol, where nineteenth century punishments meet twentieth century plumbing, then north to Boggabri for dinner with Taylor and Bryce.

The last leg north to Lightning Ridge via Gin's Leap and the Pilliga hot springs, with 301.9 cent diesel at Narrabri, the obligatory entry selfies, and an evening spent noodling for opals under black light.

A full day on the opal fields: mining claims and mullock heaps, lunch at the Hilton, a walk-in mine tour, a bottle house, a castle that wasn't open, plenty of potch but not much colour, and diesel at a new record.

South to Bourke via Brewarrina and its ancient fish traps, a town with zero Optus reception, the historic wharf on the Darling, Fred Hollows' grave, a cruise on a replica paddle boat, and beers by the pool.

The biggest drive of the trip, 618 kilometres down the Barrier Highway through Cobar and Wilcannia, with steady diesel, a first pepper tree, a historic lift-span bridge, and a caravan developing opinions.

A slow start in Broken Hill: mining history at the visitor centre, the Sulphide Street railway museum, milkshakes at Bells Milk Bar, and a scavenger hunt for caravan parts.

Underground at the Day Dream Mine, lunch at the Silverton Hotel, the Mad Max 2 Museum, a gaol full of friendly societies, and a sunset camel ride past the pub.

The Living Desert sculptures, lunch at the longest-running pub in town, the miners memorial on the Line of Lode, and a very large painting.

One last photo at the Broken Hill welcome sign, lunch where the Darling meets the Murray, the cheapest diesel of the trip, and a sunset on a station sand hill outside Mungo.

A day mostly of driving, lunch at an old-school bakery in Balranald, and the find of the trip home: Whitton Malt House on Lake Hulong, good enough that one night became two.

A cruisy bonus day: a supplies run into Griffith, the playground at Burley Griffin park, and one last evening of fishing and aqua golf at the Malt House.

The final leg home: lunch at Gundagai's famous Niagara Cafe, one last fuel stop at Yass, a laundry list of van repairs, and some reflections on thirteen days in the NSW interior.