Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy is an opal-mining center in the north of South Australia. The town's name means 'white fellow's hole in the ground' in Aboriginal and aptly describes the place, as many people live in dugouts, to shelter from the extreme temperatures, which often reach 50°C.

Coober Pedy is not the most beautiful place in the world. The town looks dried out and dusty and there's a lot of junk everywhere. Nevertheless, it's an interesting place to visit. Coober Pedy is home to more than 50 different nationalities. Some of the dugout homes are open to visitors and there are several places where opals are on display. Coober Pedy has an interesting mining museum.

Accommodation is available in town. Coober Pedy is 800 km northwest of Adelaide and 1500 km northwest of Canberra.