THERE'S so much bad news to report that the email inbox at the Western Plains App is flooded with them, so it's a pleasure to chronicle a series of small kindnesses that came our way last week. 

Also in this story is a mystery hero who we're trying to find – so hopefully you can help. 

The Editor-at-Large (Lee) and Right-Hand-Woman (Maddison) had an overnight trip to Lightning Ridge last week in the hope of digging up some local talent to give us a hand with the Western Plains App. 

Clockwise from top left: Franca, Barb and Michael, Grassy, Ann and Bevan, Glenda and Rebel - just some of the friendly faces at the Ridge last week.

We met lots of wonderful, friendly and helpful people - from Kevin (Grassy), Ann and Bevan Brown from Opal-FM, Sue and co. at the Visitor Info Centre, Rata the leprecaun (it was St Pat's Day after all) and Scott at the Lightning Ridge Bowling Club, Glenda the Monopoly magician, the lovely Franca from Outback Opal Tours and Donna from Duncan's Fashion, Jenni and Donna from the Australian Opal Centre, the irrepressible Rebel Black, and right through to Michael Taylor and Barbara Moritz from the Historical Society (a mine of information). 

While working hard for the App we also had an amazing lunch at the Gourmet Gecko Cafe, a dip in the soothing artesian baths, partook of some of the best Italian food we've ever eaten at the Piccolo Restaurant, had a nightcap and great night's sleep at the Lightning Ridge Outback Resort, rounded up some brekky at the Opal Street Café, picked up a paper at the Newsagents and enjoyed a coffee at the delightfully decked out Busy Bee Café. 

Rata Jackson and Eleanor Beaumont at the Lightning Ridge Bowling Club.

Just before we hit the road for home we took a detour back to the artesian baths to film our latest Western Plains App tik tok.

To get the pool and the gate in the shot we propped the gate open with the heaviest item we could find - my laptop backpack filled with electronic essentials and notebooks containing everything from app stories, bills, business workings and, well, important stuff I need to remember. 

At the baths we met Gavin from Grawin, who guest starred in our video, then we set sail for Coonamble, tik tokking all the way home. 

 Our app staff take their work very seriously when they're out and about in Lightning Ridge.

Somewhere around 2 and a half hours later we unloaded at the office - and immediately realised I'd left the backpack propping open the gate at the Lightning Ridge Bore Baths. 

Enter the local heroes. 

A few quick phone calls later and the Police, the Walgett Shire Council and the Opal Caravan Park across the road from the baths were alerted to our dilemma. Both the Police and Council staff offered to go and check. 

All were very helpful but no-one gave much hope of retrieving the items. 

Then, about twenty minutes later, I received a call from Anthony (Frog) Leeder, who works with Walgett council. 

"You must be the luckiest woman in Australia," said Anthony. 

[sounds of whooping, hollering around the office] 

"I'm often asked by people to go out and look for things they've left behind - and they're never there," he said. 

I thanked him profusely. 

"It's not me you need to thank," he said. "It's the blokes that stayed there to keep an eye on it after you left." 

So the kindness of strangers is not dead - especially at Lightning Ridge. 

Gavin - the mystery man from Grawin - and Lee (WP App Editor) at the Lightning Ridge Artesian Baths.

But wait, there's more... 

Not only did Gavin and his mate wait around for hours, expecting that we would return for the bag, they passed it over to Anthony who kept it safe overnight and then went out of his way to arrange for it to take a trip on the Countrylink bus the next morning. 

Then another Ridge resident, the obliging bus driver Aaron, delivered it to me with all contents completely intact (including bluetooth headphones, hard drives and other expensive bits) when his bus stopped over in Coonamble the next day. 

I am so very grateful to all involved in this string of good deeds I thought I'd give the whole of Lightning Ridge and the Walgett Shire a shout-out on the app. Kindness rules!

Now we need to find Gavin, so that I can let him know that the bag made its way back to me and thank him personally. 

If you know Gavin from Grawin, please ask him to Contact Us or give Lee O'Connor a call on 0428 222517.