Lightning Ridge, NSW 2834 — Suburb Profile
Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team
In short
Lightning Ridge is a suburb of New South Wales, postcode 2834, home to 1,946 residents with a settled, mature community. Located in the Brewarrina local government area (Very Remote Australia) and roughly 580 km from the Sydney CBD.
Snapshot
Demographics
- Population
- 1,946
- Median age
- 53 years
- Median household income
- $792 /week
- Median personal income
- $476 /week
- Median family income
- $1,186 /week
- Average household size
- 2.0
- Persons per bedroom
- 0.9
- Local government area
- Walgett
- Statistical region (SA4)
- Far West and Orana
- Remoteness classification
- Very Remote Australia
- Federal electorate
- Parkes
Property & cost of living
- Median rent
- $200 /week
- Median monthly mortgage
- $867
- Rent share of household income
- 25%
Schools
- Lightning Ridge Central School
Transport
- Within 800 m walk: 23 bus stops
- Within 1.6 km: 50 bus stops
- Morilla St Opp Lightning Ridge Post Office
- Lightning Ridge Central School, Kaolin St
- Agate St After Pandora St
- Harlequin St At Bill O'Brien Way
- Nettleton Dr After Pandora St
Lifestyle & amenities
- 4 cafés
- 1 restaurant
- 2 pubs and bars
- 12 parks and reserves
- 3 gyms and fitness centres
- 1 library
- 4 playgrounds
Climate
Climate normals from the Bureau of Meteorology.
NBN & connectivity
Fibre to the Node serves 78.1% of the 1,092 resolvable premises in Lightning Ridge. Most premises here connect via fibre to a street cabinet, then copper into the home. Speeds depend heavily on the copper run length — NBN 100 is rarely achievable on long runs.
- Fibre to the Premises: 10.9%
- Fibre to the Node: 78.1%
- Fixed Wireless: 9.1%
- Sky Muster (Satellite): 1.9%
Safety
- Recorded offences: 547 across postcode 2834 in the year to Dec 2025 (up 18% on the prior year).
- Most common categories: 182 violent offences, 81 other offences, 69 property damage.
Other suburbs in Walgett
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lightning Ridge?
Lightning Ridge (NSW 2834) had 1,946 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 53. It sits within the Walgett local government area.
What is the median rent in Lightning Ridge?
The median advertised rent in Lightning Ridge is $200/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.
Are there schools in Lightning Ridge?
Yes — 1 school is listed within or near Lightning Ridge covering government sectors. Nearest include: Lightning Ridge Central School (0.4 km). School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.
What NBN technology is available in Lightning Ridge?
Lightning Ridge is predominantly served by Fibre to the Node (78.1% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.
How safe is Lightning Ridge?
Across postcode 2834, 547 offences were recorded in the 12 months to Dec 2025. The most common offence categories were violent (182), other (81), property damage (69). Crime statistics are recorded by area (postcode or LGA), not by individual suburb. Data sourced from each state's crime statistics agency.
What public transport options are in Lightning Ridge?
50 public transport stops are mapped within 1.6 km of the Lightning Ridge centroid. Within 800 m, you'll find 23 bus stops. Stop data is sourced from state government GTFS feeds.
Sources & methodology
Demographics from ABS Census. Property data from SQM Research. Climate from Bureau of Meteorology. Schools from ACARA. NBN from NBN Co. Amenities from OpenStreetMap. See full methodology.
Additional sources for this profile: