Coober Pedy is called the opal capital of the world. This town not the only opal mining town in Australia, but it is by far the biggest and produces more opal than any other place in the world.
Scenes of Coober Pedy Source: Getty Images AsiaPac
The name Coober Pedy developed from the Aboriginal "kupa piti", meaning "white man's hole in the ground" or "white man in a hole".
The mining town, 840 kilometers north of Adelaide. It has churches, museums, art galleries, a bar and even hotels for travelers to get the underground life first-hand.
Scenes of Coober Pedy Source: Getty Images AsiaPac
According to the , this underground home was excavated in the original method using picks and shovels.
'Built 30 years ago by three women this attraction is an insight into the strength of character that Coober Pedy was built on.'
Most of the people in Coober Pedy live underground. This town has a population of 3500. Here, People live with all amenities of a home above ground, including walk-in closets, modern kitchens, and televisions. 45 nationalities are represented here, making Coober Pedy one of the most ethnically diverse communities in Australia.
It is amazing to know that the golf course, consisting of sand, gravel and oil slicks, is above ground.
Living Underground In Coober Pedy, Australia- Source: Gamma-Rapho
Austrailian Family Lives In Cave Source: Hulton Archive
Source: cooberpedy.sa.gov.au
How to get here:
By Road - daily coach services from Adelaide. or you can drive through The Stuart (Explorer) Hwy, Hwy 87.
By Train - Coober Pedy can be accessed by rail via the Ghan route from Adelaide to Alice Springs. Transportation from Manguri Station, 47kms from Coober Pedy, would have to be arranged prior to departure from Adelaide or Alice Springs.
By Air - flights between Adelaide and Coober Pedy
Scenes of Coober Pedy Source: Getty Images AsiaPac
Climate:
Temperatures in the stony desert have been known to hit 50 degrees celsius during the day and drop to zero at night.
Things to see:
1) Breakaways Conservation Park
2) Old Timers Mine
3) Umoona Opal Mine & Museum
4) Faye's Underground Home
5) Serbian Orthodox Church
