Opaladies is a collection of stories written by Lightning Ridge women from various countries around the world who have settled in Lightning Ridge.

The book was launched by local author and poet Sandy Thorne who spoke about the assimilation that occurs when migrants have to learn the Australian way.

Sandy entertained the crowd with one of her poems about the different 'Australianisms' new Australians must get used to, especially in the outback.

"There are sad stories, there are funny stories but they are all interesting stories," she said.

The book has been a labour of love for all involved and includes stories from 11 different nationalities.

They include Slovenia, Croatia, Finland, Greece, Switzerland, Montenegro, Hungary, Philippines, Austria, America and Ireland.

The idea of the book is that each story is part of a mosaic, tying in with the theme of opal and how it fits into a type of mosaic jewel.

The day also saw a donation of photos by Arthur Buckley to the historical society.

The photos are of his mother Annie Thompson, who enjoyed some time in the Ridge 95 years ago.

"You feel comfortable coming here knowing that your mother spent a time here," he said.