Part of Walgett Shire, Lightning Ridge is situated near the southern border of Queensland, about 6 km (4 mi) east of the Castlereagh Highway.

Nettleton, now regarded as the founder of the black opal industry, is commemorated with a life-sized bronze statue, the "Spirit of Lightning Ridge"; it is located in the town at 7 Morilla Street.

[16] The town has a five-star Olympic pool, which features a diving complex, a rock climbing wall, and water theme park that operates during the summer holidays.

Until 2011, Lightning Ridge hosted an annual goat race in the town's main street and a rodeo on the Easter long weekend.

Local football team the Lightning Ridge Redbacks play in the Group 15 Barwon Darling Rugby League competition.

Lightning Ridge is home to the St George Serbian Orthodox Church with a travelling priest from Brisbane attending several times a year to conduct mass.

Lightning Ridge is an important paleontological site, with opalised fossils dating back to the Cretaceous period, around 100 million years ago, deriving from the Griman Creek Formation.

[20] Under the terms of this act, fossicking may now be carried out anywhere in the state providing these conditions are met: Lightning Ridge has an abundance of hot water from a bore spring into the Great Artesian Basin and offers two hot-water pools for bathing.

The Hot Artesian Bore Baths and Nettletons Shaft, on McDonald's Six Mile Opal Field, have been placed on the Register of the National Estate.

The Western Herald is published on a weekly basis (every Thursday) year-round, except during a short break at Christmas and covers local Lightning Ridge Stories.