Coober Pedy

The opal capital of the world, where residents live in underground dugouts — visit underground churches and mines, fossick through mullock heaps for opals, and see the moonlike landscape of the Breakaways.

Coober Pedy lies in the outback of northern South Australia, on the Stuart Highway about 850 km north of Adelaide, and is the most popular stopover on the way from Adelaide to Uluru/Alice Springs. It produces most of the world's white opal and calls itself the "Opal Capital of the World"; the town's name comes from an Aboriginal language and is often interpreted as "white man's hole". Summer temperatures often exceed 45°C, and about half the residents live in dugouts carved out of sandstone, which stay at around 23–25°C year-round; the town also has underground churches, underground hotels, and underground shops and bars, creating a truly unique landscape. Main things to do: in the town centre, walk to Umoona Opal Mine & Museum, the Old Timers Mine, Faye's Underground Home, several underground churches and the Big Winch lookout; drive out of town to the Serbian Orthodox underground church and fossick through the mullock heaps for opals in the public noodling area; about 30 km north, the Breakaways Reserve, the Moon Plain and the Dog Fence make up a sunset loop of about 70 km. The best season is Apr–Oct, with mild days and cool nights — winter nights can drop to near 0°C; summer is scorching and full of flies, so keep outdoor activities to early morning and late afternoon. Getting there: there are several flights a week from Adelaide, or take a long-distance coach (about 11 hours) or drive (about 9–10 hours); Manguri station, where The Ghan stops, is about 40 km from town. Allow 1–2 nights, including at least one night in an underground hotel. Note: the mining fields are dotted with unfenced shafts — don't enter private claims or walk backwards; when driving in the outback, fill up with fuel and carry plenty of water, as unsealed roads may close after rain.

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