An epic adventure ended last Thursday, as White Cliffs residents Gunnel and Jurgen Hecht, Doug Brook (photo below) and Rod Cook, and poet David ‘The Shovel’ Schoeffel of Gulpa, walked into Lightening Ridge. Gunnel and Jurgen will have walked 686 kilometres – a million steps – since leaving White Cliffs on 23 June, and The Shovel only a few steps less. This incredible personal challenge is also a fundraising campaign to build a vibrant national icon in western NSW.

The Walk was inspired by an even more arduous journey 110 years ago. In 1902, horrific drought gripped the country and the opal industry was at a low in White Cliffs. Hearing rumors of a new opal find, many opal miners left White Cliffs for Lightning Ridge – on foot, bicycle, horseback or horse and cart.

Then in 1903,  pioneers Jack Murray and Charlie Nettleton set out on foot from Lightning Ridge to White Cliffs to make the first sale of a parcel of black opal, laying the foundations for the Black Opal industry.

Walking and camping the whole way, in 2012 The Walk crew have enjoyed rest days at Tilpa, Louth, Bourke, Brewarinna and Walgett. The landscape has been glorious after two years of good rains.

It has been hard going, physically and mentally. Friends from White Cliffs and Lightning Ridge have dropped in from time, providing fresh company and discovering the challenge of walking kilometre after kilometre, day after day.

Property owners and workers have shown great kindness and humour to the Walkers, often pulling up to say g’day and shake their heads in amazement, then driving back to make a donation. On Sunday, the Walkers praised of the owner of the Barwon Inn near Walgett; and Jennifer Colless, whose grandfather moved from White Cliffs to Lightning Ridge in 1909, and who hosted a lunch for the Walkers in Walgett.

The Walk has strengthened friendships and solidarity between people of White Cliffs and Lightning Ridge, and other people touched along the way. White Cliffs, with a population of only 100, has already contributed $2,500 towards the Walkers’ $10,000 fundraising goal to help build the Australian Opal Centre at Lightning Ridge – a world-class attraction and centre of excellence that will revitalise Australia’s opal industry and draw thousands of visitors into the outback.

Prior to actually finishing “the Walk” Gunnell said “The first place we want to go at Lightning Ridge is the Bore Baths,” The Ridge’s famous hot artesian pools will be a perfect reward for the aching bodies and feet of three 69-year-old heroes who have just walked 686km through outback NSW. On Monday the Walkers had raised $5,000. They’re desperate to reach their goal of $10,000 to help build the Australian Opal Centre for the wonder and enjoyment of all Australians.

Please make a secure tax-deductible donation and leave your message of support at http://thewalk.gofundraise.com.au, or send your cheque made out to the Australian Opal Centre to AOC, PO Box 229, Lightning Ridge 2834.