More than 500 delegate are expected to converge on the Ridge this weekend for the Rotary District Conference.
Carrying the slogan 'Outback for you in 2002' the conferencet coincides well with the Year of the Outback and aims to introduce many Rotarians to an outback experience.
Delegates are expected to gather at the Bowling Club this weekend, with the three-day conference to have its official opening on Saturday morning.
Rotary district governor Brian Prince said while there was an outback focus this year, the conference would have no content other than normal.
He said Lightning Ridge had been chosen because it was the furthest point in the district, and the conference had never been taken any further west than Coonabarabran.
"It coincides well with the Year of the Outback and everyone is looking forward to travelling so far out."
Last year's district conference was held in Port Macquarie.
Mr Prince said there were no high-fly key note speakers this time around, because they wanted to highlight some of the programs Rotary is involved in and what they do in the district.
"Our furthest away guest speaker is Stephen Lee who comes from Perth."
Mr Prince said the official proceedings would begin with a Powerpoint feature, followed by introductions from various guests, including indigenous elders.
"We will then have a flag raising ceremony with the 20 exchange students we have."
Mr Prince said former local music teacher, Robert Valler would lead the choir to sing the national anthem.
The conference will also feature a variety of speakers from different backgrounds to talk about the challenges they face in their lives, and the positive attitudes they adopted in combating adversity.
"Fay Jackson, who is a manic depressant, will speak on mental health, and Rotary is very much into raising funds for research into mental illnesses," he said.
Rotary's youth exchange program will also be highlighted with students undertaking a presentation.
He said the team that went to the United States had recently returned to Australia, and they would talk about their experiences overseas on Saturday as well.
Mr Prince said there were Rotary members who had made significant contributions to their society in the immediate sense and also on a world-wide level.
"At Saturday night's dinner, we will be presenting some fellow Rotarians with a Vocational Excellence Award for those who have made major contributions."
He said Rotary also had a world community service program, which allows members to visit struggling countries and assist communities overseas, through doing things such as teaching children how to read and write.
"We also have medical volunteers who sometimes spend from three to six months overseas helping out," he said.
"We are very involved in rebuilding communities and had a huge input in Papua New Guinea at the time huge tidal waves destroyed villages and towns two to three years ago."
Mr Prince said the conference also hosts an amazing man, Sam Bailey, who is a quadriplegic and farmer and is being accompanied by his wife Jenny.
"Sam will speak on how he taught himself to do things after he became a quadriplegic, such as operating tractors and flying small planes."
Mr Prince said at present a group of Dutch students was in Australia and would be present at the conference as part of the Group Study Exchange Program.
"It gives them a chance to look at our country and learn more about their vocation at the same time and vice versa for when our students go to the Netherlands next month," he said.
Mr Prince said four Year 11 students will also take the floor on Sunday, to battle it out against each other in the public speaking finals.
"They've been through the process, and went from topping their local club to the zone levels, and the winner on Sunday will win a trip to South Africa.
Mr Prince said Rotary also tried to help children who have experienced difficulties growing up through their Camp Quality program, and Youth Insearch.
Mr Prince said this weekend promises to be big.
He said this time around Rotary was also introducing members to a passbook system, where each member needs to get 20 names of other people they meet at the conference, and visit an appointed ‘house of friendship' where they need to pick up information.
"The whole program is based on fellowship and Rotary and that's what we want try to encourage and foster."
"But we want to make it a fun experience so we will be giving members that chance to see Lightning Ridge because it is such a unique place."
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