Founded and funded by altruistic opal miner, Madeleine Lenz (1917–2009), the Lightning Ridge Bowling Club was unofficially opened in 1967 by NSW’s Governor General, Lord Richard Casey (1890-1976). Attended by members only, the celebrations were jubilant, and the outback bowlers pulled together to make it a day to remember. Madeleine was a devout Catholic with […]
The Lightning Ridge Bowling Club has been the community’s beating heart since its official opening, but its journey to that milestone was not easy. The club opened its doors in Morilla Street in 1966, but it wasn’t until April 1969 that its first official competition as a member of the Royal NSW Bowling Association was […]
When Madeleine Lenz (1917-2009) first visited Lightning Ridge in the 1950s, it was a rough, remote outpost with just 64 residents. The settlement had no town water, power or police—just a pub, a small store, and dirt roads riddled with potholes. The nearest doctor was fifty miles away at Walgett. Despite its harsh conditions, Madeleine […]
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