Coober Pedy - Underground town in Australia

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Coober Pedy – Underground town in Australia

By Narendra V

COOBER PEDY –UNDERGROUND MINING TOWN IN AUSTRALIA

Coober Pedy is a mining town in South Australia. It is called ‘opal capital of the world’. But it is famous for its underground houses. The town is located some 800 km from Adelaide.

In 1915 first opal was found in that town since then it is supplying gem quality opals to the world. It has more than 70 mining fields which are world’s largest opal mines. The population of the town mostly works in the mines. The temperature in this town goes beyond 40 degrees centigrade during summers so to avoid such heat people built their homes underground by digging out rock. Temperatures inside the house remain 10-15 degrees less than surface and remain relatively cool in summers. There are churches, shops even a museum were built underground. It became famous tourist attraction worldwide after it was connected with Adelaide by a highway.

Now the town is dependent on tourism as well as mining. The town is having 3500 population of that 60% people are migrated from Europe with 45 nationalities.

Underground attractions in Coober Pedy

St. Peter and Paul’s Church

Serbian Orthodox Church

Desert Cave and gallery

Underground Art Gallery

Umoona Opal Museum

Underground book stall