Attractions in White Cliffs
Red Earth Opal Mine Tour
Looking for attractions in White Cliffs? The ‘Opal Mine Tour’ is a unique look into the early history of the Opal Field, before entering into a working and producing opal mine.
Situated within the Historic Diggings of the 1890s, visitors get the opportunity to walk down a ramp from the surface. The ramp is carved through the multiple levels of diggings, to reach a depth of 45 feet.
At this level you will see the demonstration of the mining equipment and try to dig on the mine face yourself.
You too may be one of the lucky visitors who have actually discovered opal in Graeme’s mine.
Our Opal Mine Tour is a must-do experience when visiting White Cliffs. Tours leave from the Coffee House & Gallery @ 3pm most days.
Address: 100 The Blocks, White Cliffs NSW
Phone: 0488 965 282
White Cliffs Solar Power Station
The White Cliffs Solar Power Station is believed to be the first commercial solar power station in the World. It is certainly unique in Australia.
The station was conceived in the 1970s and built in 1981. It provides electricity to a remote community that was not connected to the electricity grid. Solar power stations built elsewhere in the world around this time were primarily for research only or for water desalination.
Whilst White Cliffs was also a research facility, the electricity output was sold to the local community. The output from the station was reticulated at low voltage over a limited area of the township. It supplied the local hospital, school, post office and twelve homes.
Because this electricity was ‘sold’ to these customers, hence the claim that White Cliffs was the ‘first commercial solar power station in the world’.
White Cliffs’ temperatures in summer hover around the mid-40 degrees Celsius mark.
Located about 250 kilometres east of Broken Hill, the $1.9 million plant generated electricity from 1982 until 2005. During this time two different technologies were used.
Initially, the solar thermal power station concentrated the sun’s energy to produce steam from water. This was then used to drive a steam engine/generator system.
In 1997 it was transformed using the latest photovoltaic (PV) technology, with the cells directly converting the concentrated sunlight to electricity.
Get Directions
Red Earth Opal, The Blocks, White Cliffs NSW, Australia
TodayOpen Now~- Monday09:00 - 17:00
- Tuesday09:00 - 17:00
- Wednesday09:00 - 17:00
- Thursday09:00 - 17:00
- Friday09:00 - 17:00
- Saturday09:00 - 17:00
- Sunday09:00 - 17:00
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