Dry, red dust everywhere … in your clothes, shoes … lunar-like landscape; red earth piles alongside large holes dotting countryside … as far as eye can see …
Movie scenes from ‘Pitch Black (2000), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), Mortal Kombat (2021)’ comes to mind … Guess what – those and many more were filmed there !
Where is it
Famed for opal mines Coober Pedy is located mid-way between Adelaide and Alice Springs – 846 km (526 miles) north-west of Adelaide, on the Stuart Highway, South Australia; 688 km (428 miles) south of Alice Springs, Northern Territories.
‘Coober Pedy’ thought to derive from Aboriginal term “kupa-piti”; means “whitefellas’s hole” – something to do with holes created from digging activities.
Acknowledge traditional custodians of land – the Antakirinja Yunkunytjatjara people; recognise their connection to this beautiful place; respect all Elders, ancestors and first nation people, past and present.
Discovered in 1858 by Scottish-born explorer, John McDouall and subsequent discovery of opals in 1915 by Wille Hutchinson put Coober Pedy on the world map forever.
Sandstone, siltstone, stony treeless desert … low rainfall … lack of topsoil … little plant life … gives unique landscape to this part of Australia.
History of Opal Formation
Around 150 million years ago, Coober Pedy was covered by ocean … water receded … sandy silica minerals from seabed flowed into rocky cracks, cavities … solidified over time … resulting in multi-coloured gemstone … opal.
Coober Pedy is quirky and unique … Why ?
Underground Living in “Dugouts”
Due to harsh summer desert temperatures, locals prefer to live in caves bored into hillsides, or “dugouts” – where temperatures averaged between 22 – 24 °C (71.6 – 75.2 °F ) in dugouts, while average exterior temperatures often exceed 40°C (104° F).
Water supply comes from bore-system; underground water from Great Artesian Basin and associated water treatment plant.
Visit Heritage-listed 3-room Dugout to experience underground living … excavated by picks, shovels and lots of sweat … some even come with swimming pool …
Quite an experience and sight to behold !
Don’t forget to check out local underground St. Peter’s and Paul Catholic Church – world first purpose-built underground Catholic Church, opened in 1967. Naturally, services are often held after dusk … for obvious reasons !
Visit an Opal Mine Museum
Do you know by 1999, there were more than 250,000 mine shaft entrances in the area – leading to a law discouraging large-scale mining by allowing each prospector a 165-square-foot (15.3 sq. m) claim. With over 70 opal fields supplying about 85% of world’s gem-quality opal, Coober Pedy is the largest opal mining town in the world.
Take a trip down an original opal mine and museum – see how miners dig into earth creating tunnel systems … how opal seams are formed, located and mined … similar methods are still used today …
At times, it is as simple as shining a torch against rock-face to see walls lined with opal deposits !
But opal is not the only mineral found here … rich in copper, gold and iron ore, other mines have been developed in recent times.
In 2013, potentially significant ‘tight oil’ (oil trapped in oil-bearing shales) was found near outskirts of Coober Pedy – estimated to hold between 3.5 and 223 billion barrels of oil … yet to be developed.
Small township … such large future potential !
Underground Dining and Shopping
Enjoy cup of coffee and snack in underground cafe … check out historical photos, memorabilia of days gone by … or shop for souvenirs in cool underground comfort.
Today, you can still see miners at work; just off Stuart Highway … seeking fortunes from dawn to dusk …
Spend some time in local opal shops, owned and operated by miners and family – Australia’s largest range of opal jewellery, rough or cut opal (crystal, black and boulder) and large range of opalised fossils and specimens.
Local Sight-seeing
Take in sights of spaceship from Pitch Black movie or go for a game of night golf – built in 1976; played on a course with no grass; glowing balls and bring your own artificial turf to tee off !
Listed as one of world’s most unusual golf courses !
Coober Pedy has become a popular stopover for The Ghan train; tourist destination for locals and overseas tourists alike – how often do you get to see unique landscapes, quirky abodes and underground hotels, churches and shops !
To finish the day, park and walk up Big Winch Lookout with a cold beer and watch sunset over cloudless skies in Coober Pedy.
Simply amazing !
Conclusion
Harsh living conditions give rise to quirky and creative ways to adapt; locals have overcome and thrived in this amazing town for years.
Always good to see how the other half lives … no matter how mind-blowing it may be !
