White Cliffs is a remarkable opal mining town famous for its underground accommodation. In 1987 the production of opals from the White Cliffs fields was estimated to be $150 million.

Where is it?: 98 km from Wilcannia; 1,072 km northwest of Sydney. White Cliffs is located 122 metres above sea level and has a miserably low average annual rainfall of 234 mm.

White Cliffs is in many ways like an Australian any opal mining settlement. The pub is dusty and lonely, the general store is small and simple, the roads are rough and unsealed, the settlement is spread in every direction, and the attempts at 'civilisation' are crude and simplistic. Like South Australia's most famous opal mining town - Coober Pedy - White Cliffs housing operates on the iceberg principle with most of the town's 'buildings' being underground to escape the heat of the desert. For every building you see on the surface there are as many as ten more underground.

A heritage trail has been created to direct you to a dozen significant sites around town where there are durable information signs to enhance an appreciation of the town's history. A free guiding pamphlet (or a book with more detailed information on the sites) is available from numerous outlets. A more general history, also available locally, is Saltbush Rainbow by the late Gwen Rowe. The Pioneer Children's Cemetery (1890-92) has five graves most of which are children who died from typhoid and other diseases which prospered in the mining community because of the difficulties of maintaining proper sanitary standards. There is also the grave of a man who died from thirst. The graves of the children are believed to be those of the Richardson family. Alfred Richardson was a member of the kangaroo shooting party which discovered opals at White Cliffs. From the Pioneer Cemetery it is easy to see the first historic dugouts in the walls of the hill opposite.

If travelling to White Cliffs, be aware that the local roads are gravel and can be accessed by conventional 2-wheel vehicles, but they can be hazardous or impassable after wet weather.

Brief history

White Cliffs came into existence in a most unusual way. Instead of experiencing a rush it experienced a gradual emergence. It is known that opals were found in the area as early as 1884 but it wasn't until 1889 that any real interest was shown. 1889 was a year of drought and four kangaroo shooters were hired to reduce their numbers on the Momba Pastoral Company Station. The roo shooters found opals and realising their potential value sent them off to Adelaide for valuation by a man with the improbable name of Tullie Cornthwaite Wollaston.

By 1890 a small settlement had come into existence. It was around this time that it got the name White Cliffs as a simple description of the white shale which every miner had to dig through to find opals. William Johnstone arrived in 1892 setting up the first store and hotel. The real growth of the town did not occur until 1893 when news of some good finds drew miners to the area precipitating the development of the town's infrastructure. By 1897 White Cliffs had grown to a point where there were about 1000 people.

However, building materials were scarce and expensive and the heat in summer was oppressive. Consequently, around 1894, miners started converting their old shafts into homes. The hills being solid sandstone rather than earth the dugouts were in no danger of collapsing and the temperature was constant. It is proof positive of the growth of the subterranean lifestyle that by 1900 there was an underground bar at the Centennial Hall. Today there are around 140.