Coober Pedy Travel Guide
Travel to Coober Pedy - Opal Mine Tours and Desert Cave Holidays
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Coober Pedy is a famous Opal Mining destination in South Australia where the temperatures are so high that many of the population live in underground caves.
On the edge of the Stuart Ranges it is built on sandstone that contain the precious opal gemstones. Water in the area is precious with average annual rainfall only 175mm, to the locals water is as precious as opals.
The town is home to over 3,500 people and is home to over 44 natioinalities.
Since 1915 Coober Pedy has lured those who seek the elusive opal which is found in this vast Outback semi-desert area. Many of the locals live in dugouts (underground homes) where the earth gives natural temperature control. Visitors have always been fascinated by this underground way of living.
Attractions in Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy is the largest opal mining town in the world - The Opal Capital of the World. The opal fields around Coober Pedy are pitted with abandoned prospecting drill holes and mine shafts which can be up to 30 metres deep. It is illegal to enter a pegged claim without the miner's permission.
Activities in Coober Pedy
Daily Opal mine tours can be taken which include a walk through a former opal mine, all with expert information. Take a tour, see and learn about opal mining in a safe environment.
Visitors can try their luck, and are welcome to noodle (fossick) for opals at the Jewellers Shop Field within the town. It is not necessary to have a permit to noodle, but it is essential to obtain permission of the miner holding the mining permit. The safest way is to take part in an organised tour. A permit is required for mining.
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