Coober Pedy

7^th June

Today was spent visiting some of the highlights of Coober Pedy. Although it isn’t a specially attractive town, at this time of the year it is very busy, with a constant stream of travellers passing through on their journey up the Stuart Highway to the warmer north. It now has two supermarkets and two bottle shops, a choice of garages, and numerous opal retail outlets and underground accommodation options.

Town sign

A common sign around Coober Pedy

The Opal Bug outlet

Town mural

We visited an underground home, dug by hand by three women starting in the 1940s. Although they no longer live there it is on permanentt display as a living home, and seems very comfortable. As the temperature hardly varies all year round underground homes are a popular option in such a harsh climate. 

Inside Fay's underground home, above and below

We also visited the St Peter and Paul Catholic Church, which was the first underground church dug in Coober Pedy, and was started at least by 1965. The underground Bookshop and gallery was also a novel place to visit.

St Peter and Paul Catholic Church, outside, above ground

and inside, below ground

We finished the evening with a tour of the mine under the caravan park, which was quite interesting.

Tomorrow we move on towards Oodnadatta, hopefully it will be a bit warmer, or we can have a fire. Canvas is definitely cool.