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Fossil Digs 

Lightning Ridge Fossil Dig
August 2026

Join the Australian Opal Centre’s 6-day fossil dig at Lightning Ridge — one of Australia’s most significant fossil localities — searching for rare opalised fossils from the Age of Dinosaurs.

Registrations are open and places are limited. Secure your place by returning a completed registration form and deposit.

WEEK 1: Monday 17 to Saturday 22 August 2026
WEEK 2: Monday 24 to Saturday 29 August 2026 (return participants only)

Cost: $2,495 (incl. GST) | Return digger $2,250. Payment plans available. Includes all activities and most meals. Excludes accommodation and transport.

AT A GLANCE

  • 6 days in Lightning Ridge

  • Search for opalised fossils from the Age of Dinosaurs

  • Work with experienced specialists

  • Contribute to a globally significant collection

  • Access material, places and expertise not otherwise available

  • Limited places

About the Lightning Ridge Fossil Dig

100 million years ago, dinosaurs roamed the lands around a great Australian inland sea. Giant sauropods, ferocious theropods and diminutive ornithopods shared this world with everything from crocodiles and turtles to tiny mammals, yabbies and snails. Lightning Ridge, once a forested plain near this ancient sea, is famed for dazzling opal and as one of Australia’s most important dinosaur fossil sites.

Searching for opalised fossils is a privilege usually available only to opal miners and scientists. You can share these moments of discovery by joining the Australian Opal Centre and Australian Geographic Society as we search for and work with fossils at Lightning Ridge, on beautiful Yuwaalaraay Country.

Since our first Dig in 2014, Dig participants have discovered important opalised fossils including the world’s first published opalised ankylosaur dinosaur osteoderm (bony skin armour) and tiny bones from baby dinosaurs that died inside their eggs - Australia’s smallest dinosaur babies. They’ve added dozens of shells, teeth, bones and other fossils to the AOC’s incredible collection.

Six days packed with discovery
Our team of fossil experts will take you to special locations seeking new opalised fossils for the Australian Opal Centre’s globally significant collection. Your discoveries contribute to a world-class scientific and cultural resource. 

  • Learn about opalised fossils and Australia in the Age of Dinosaurs

  • Learn to distinguish opalised fossils from geological specimens

  • Search for opalised plant and animal fossils at special sites

  • Experience the excitement of a tailout - moment of truth for the opal miner!

  • Collect and process fossil-rich claystones

  • Mend, reassemble or prepare fossils

  • Attend fascinating lectures on opals, opal mining, opalised fossils and dinosaur hunting

  • Experience an underground opal mine

Contribute to scientific research, access experiences not available outside the Fossil Dig, and enjoy the extraordinary sights, sounds and hospitality of the opal fields.

Eligibility
Anyone 18 years and over is eligible to participate in a Fossil Dig; no experience is required. A maximum of 40 places is available (two separate groups of 20 volunteers). 

When
WEEK 1: Monday 17 to Saturday 22 August 2026
WEEK 2: Monday 24 to Saturday 29 August 2026

Important: Week 2 is for return participants only.

Location
The incredible outback opal mining town of Lightning Ridge, Australia. 

Your guides
Dig participants will be led and guided by a fabulous team of experts. Team leaders for 2026 will include:

  • Jenni Brammall: Head of Collections, Programs and Research at the Australian Opal Centre. Palaeontologist, gemmologist, opal specialist and Dig team leader

  • Clytie Smith: super fossil finder, discoverer of rare opalised mammal fossils, opal cutter, Dig team leader and Director of the Australian Opal Centre Ltd

Past team leaders have also included:

  • Dr Elizabeth Smith - world expert on opalised fossils

  • Dr Timothy Fraunfelder: dinosaur tooth specialist and university medal winner for his research on opalised sauropod dinosaur teeth, with field experience at Lightning Ridge, Winton and Surat (Queensland), Canada and Argentina

  • Dr Rodney Berrell - geologist, palaeontologist, expert on fossil fish and long-time Lightning Ridge enthusiast

  • Amber Silk: fossil finder extraordinaire and tech troubleshooter

  • Hayden Henderson: postgraduate researcher investigating opalised sauropod dinosaur bones from Lightning Ridge at the University of New England (UNE), Armidale

  • Sherri Donaldson: postgraduate researcher (UNE) working on the opalised molluscs and palaeoenvironments of Lightning Ridge

  • Jake Kotevski: megaraptorid dinosaur postgraduate researcher at Monash University

Stay tuned to find out who’ll be joining us in 2026!

Cost
$2,495 per person (incl. GST); return digger $2,250.
Includes all activities and most meals. Excludes accommodation and transport. This is a scientific and fundraising venture for the Australian Opal Centre.

Can’t manage the whole fee now? No problem. Pay a deposit to secure your place, then pay your balance in instalments.

Secure your place
Places are limited and allocated on a first come, first served basis. Complete and send in your registration form and deposit to secure your place. 

Contact
To find out more, please email dig@australianopalcentre.com or call Jenni Brammall on 0427 904 587.