Thirty friends of Lightning Ridge and black opal attended on the sunny morning.

Apologies were received from Joy Clayton and Peter Sherman of the opal industry; Shirley Collins, whose father owned the Imperial Hotel from 1909 to 1927 (today's Diggers Rest); Josephine Bastien and Erica Veveers, daughters of Andy Bastien, Ridge miner from 1912 to 1928; and Sam and Muff Nettleton of Narrabri, who aren't descendants but would like to be - their grandson's name is Charlie.

With this meaningful event, 100 years of the black opal industry has been formally commemorated.

Nettleton is the man we credit with selling the first parcel of black opal in White Cliffs.

He spent 40 years on the Ridge and Grawin fields.

At 80 years of age and nearly blind, he went into care at the Salvation Army men's home 'Montrose' at Balmain in Sydney from 1942 to 1946.

He was buried in a pauper's grave in the Methodist section at Rookwood on June 12, 1946.

We are still on the track of descendants and have recent news from his birthplace in Warrnambool, Victoria. Charlie's father's history is about to be written.

He has a prominent monument in the cemetery there and is considered a ‘Robin Hood' in early district history.

News will be revealed as we receive it, but just to whet your interest, Nettleton Senior's nickname was ‘Nobby' when he was transported from Plymouth to Tasmania in the late 1840s.

Meanwhile, the annual general meeting that was held on June 29, in the restored Cottage Hospital Gallery was well attended.

A dozen members gathered to review the past six months' activities and to elect officers.

Grants for five years from the former Western Lands have been acquitted.

Funds were matched and nearly doubled by the society's impressive 686 hours (minimum) of volunteer hours to restore the old Bush Nurses Association plus Heritage Cottage dollars earned from 2000 to 2002 (another 3288 volunteer hours).