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What We Do

About Us  |  Our History  |  Our Team  

Australian Opal Centre Ltd aims to construct a new world hub for opal-focused activities, at the historic Three Mile opal field at Lightning Ridge. 

Meanwhile, the Australian Opal Centre operates from four locations: a showroom and office in Morilla St, the AOC Black Opal Heritage Shed on the Three Mile field, a rented workshop/storage space and a further AOC-owned property, all at Lightning Ridge.

As a vibrant cultural institution and self-funded not-for-profit organisation, we are BUSY!

Our Activities

  • Manage a public exhibition space open to the public six days per week

  • Manage the world’s premier collection of rare opalised fossils and opal-related books and publications

  • Facilitate and participate in scientific research on collection items

  • Buy and sell merchandise

  • Develop AOC products for wholesale and retail distribution

  • Run educational and other public programs for visiting school, university and professional groups

  • Initiate and host exhibitions and cultural activities

  • Run fossil digs

  • Develop and run opal-related classes

  • Provide knowledge services and image resources to researchers, journalists, artists, writers, government agencies and professional bodies

  • Provide a fossil identification service for local residents and visitors

  • Support the activities of partner organisations

  • Lead and participate in the documentation and preservation of natural and cultural heritage

  • Run a membership program with over 800 financial members

  • Plan for and progress the new Australian Opal Centre building

  • Conduct fundraising activities to support current operations and help fund the new AOC building

There are many ways you can get involved with the Australian Opal Centre activities; read about some of them here.