Coober Pedy is a remote town in northern South Australia, known for its population living underground to escape the intense desert climates. It is also known as the opal capital of the world, which was why this rural area is inhabited in the first place by prospectors.
While it’s considered rural, getting to Coober Pedy by car is not difficult, as the main Stuart Highway that connects South Australia and the Northern Territory passes by the town. The drive is on well-paved roads with consistent traffic. Some travelers choose to do a short day trip while passing through the area, but I would recommend spending a night or two to have a full day exploring Coober Pedy.
Staying in Cooper Pedy: Experience Underground Living
When I first heard about Coober Pedy’s underground town, the first image in my mind of the town was a barren, flat desert with entrances going beneath the surface into a complex network of infrastructures (e.g. markets and living spaces) that are completely underground.
Turns out, Coober Pedy on the surface looks pretty much like any other small town, with shops, houses and facilities built above ground. However, many of the buildings are partially or completely underground. These are called the dugouts – most are excavated into hillsides rather than dug from shafts. These become the optimal living spaces of opal miners and local residents to escape the extreme summer heat and winter’s cool desert nights. About 50% of Coober Pedy’s current population live underground.
It is interesting to see how they turn the dugouts into cozy living spaces, and you can experience living underground in one of the many dugout accommodations. I stayed at The Underground Motel Coober Pedy for two nights.
The motel is a cozy place and you could see the beautiful, solid walls of the dugouts, excavated into the hillsides.
It is a unique experience staying in the dugout: the temperature, sound and light. As natural light does not reach into the dugouts, you can’t tell the difference between day and night. Don’t worry, the dugouts are well ventilated by ceiling holes that go up onto the surface.
Sunset view from the motel.
Free Things To Do & See In Coober Pedy
There are many things to see around Coober Pedy. Most things are within walking distance close to the town center, so you don’t need to drive for most of these places.
Catacomb Church
Close to my motel is the Catacomb Church.
The Catacomb Church was built from a dugout in the 1970s. Now, it holds service on Sunday mornings (9.30am) and opens everyday from 8.30am to 6.30pm for visitors. Entry is free and donations are welcomed.
Josephine’s Gallery and Kangaroo Orphanage
Josephine’s Gallery features many fantastic aboriginal artworks made by local artists. At the back of the gallery is a kangaroo orphanage that cares for the kangaroo orphans, often rescued from pouches of kangaroo roadkills. On my visit, there weren’t any kangaroo orphans, which I guess was a good thing.
Coober Pedy Street Arts & Movies Props (along the mani street)
The Opal Bug car.
An actual prop of a spaceship from the movie Pitch Black, filmed in 1998, starring Vin Diesel. Many more movies, documentaries and commercials have been filmed in Coober Pedy, including Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) and Red Planet (2000), making use of Coober Pedy’s otherworldly desert landscapes.
Opal Cave Shop
The Opal Cave Shop is built in a dugout. The store attendant was very friendly and enthusiastic to share her knowledge about Coober Pedy.
At the back of the shop is a nice free exhibition space, where you can learn more about opals, dugouts, and you might get a chance to see opal cutting operations at the workstation.
St Peter & St Paul Catholic Church
The St Peter & St Paul Catholic Church is another church you can visit for free. It showcases yet another impressive use of dugouts.
Umoona Opal Mine & Museum
Umoona Opal Mine is an underground museum you can visit for free.
Apart from that, there are also guided tours you can purchase to access the mine tunnels exhibition beneath the museum.
The guided tour walks you through the examples of underground living areas.
The guide will also show you some opals that can be found in the walls. Using a UV flashlight, the opal veins glow bright in the cave walls.
Another paid tour you can go is Tom’s Opal Mine, which is also a working opal mine site that is still operating.
Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park, Coober Pedy
Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park is located 25km north of Coober Pedy. With spectacular coloured hills, flat topped mesas and gibber covered plains, I highly recommend visiting this place when you are staying in the town.
Have this guide helped you? Tag @meowtainpeople in your hiking stories & posts!
*Captain Planet passing by* Remember, please take care of our environment, and please don’t destroy the Nature. Leave no trash behind and take back only photos and memories (and also some trash if you can). Walk on the designated path and stay in the middle as much as you can, so that the exposed soil doesn’t spread/corrode further. BE ONE WITH NATURE *flies away*
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