{"id":4992,"date":"2026-09-15T15:20:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T07:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meowtainpeople.com\/?p=4992"},"modified":"2026-09-15T15:29:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T07:29:05","slug":"coober-pedy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meowtainpeople.com\/zh\/coober-pedy\/","title":{"rendered":"Coober Pedy: Living Underground | Opal Capital Of Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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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.<\/span><\/p>

While it\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Staying in Cooper Pedy: Experience Underground Living<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When I first heard about Coober Pedy\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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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\u2019s cool desert nights. About 50% of Coober Pedy\u2019s current population live underground.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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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 <\/span>The Underground Motel Coober Pedy<\/span><\/a> for two nights.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The motel is a cozy place and you could see the beautiful, solid walls of the dugouts, excavated into the hillsides.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\r\n \"dugouts\r\n<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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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\u2019t tell the difference between day and night. Don\u2019t worry, the dugouts are well ventilated by ceiling holes that go up onto the surface.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Sunset view from the motel.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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