Coober Pedy is like nothing you have every seen in your life. It’s hot, really hot, so many of the buildings are build partially or completely underground. More than 50% of the population here lives underground. This included our accomodation, the Lookout Cave Underground Motel. If you decide you don’t want to splurge on a hotel, there are underground campsites as well where you can set up your tent underground.
Coober Pedy is famous for much more than underground dwellings. It is also the opal capital of the world. The vast majority of the world’s opal comes from here and it isn’t mined by large companies but by enterprising individuals who buy a permit, get some explosives, and go exploring. You can see the result of these mini mines everywhere; piles of white dirt dot the town and the surrounding landscape next to drill holes about 30m deep. It is estimated that there are well over 1,500,000 open shafts. Many movies have been set in this surreal place, including Mad Max.
Big Winch 360 is home to a restaurant/cafe with views across town. The food was excellent and generous and the hot chocolate was fine. It is well worth a visit as you can sit out on the terrace and take a close look at the town from above. A few things worth visiting. There is one of the last surviving drivers ins in Australia in the centre of town (with a big sign that says no explosives allowed in the drive in). A few underground houses are open for tourists to visit including Crocodile Harry’s, a house full of wacky knick knacks. There are also several underground churches you can visit, most famously the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The highlight for us was the drive into Coober Pedy. The painted desert must be one of the most stunning places I have every seen my life. It is a short stretch of the desert 120km north that literally looks like it has been painted yellow, white, black, brown and red. There is another one closer to town, but the real Painted Desert is a bit further away, and well worth the detour.
