Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy is known as the Opal Capital of the World and it is best recognized for its unique style of underground living. There are authentic underground homes to explore as well as underground museums, potteries, opal shops, an art gallery and, of course, opal mines. There is also a range of underground accommodation, as well as above ground. About 80 per cent of the population of Coober Pedy now live underground. The reason for this is that the temperature can rise to 50°C in summer and it has been known to rise to 60°C. Coober Pedy is from Aboriginal language and is said to mean ‘white men down holes'. Opal was first found in Coober Pedy in 1915 and since then has been supplying the world with the majority of quality opals. Despite its small population of only a few thousand residents, Coober Pedy is home to people from all over the world, and it is said that about 70 different nationalities are represented in this dusty outpost on the fringe of one of Australia’s most fascinating deserts, the Great Victoria Desert.