8 September 2017

Coober Pedy, what an odd little dusty town. The self proclaimed “Opal Capital of the World” has the largest opal mining area and is a popular stop for travelers along the Stuart Highway. At less than 1,700 people, it is the largest town between Port Augusta and Alice Springs. Coober Pedy has all the basic services you might need including several restaurants, gas stations, a grocery store, hospital, car repair, etc.

The underground dwellings are their other claim to fame. To manage the extreme temperatures many of the buildings are built underground – dug into the side of a hill. We are staying in an underground motel room just for the unique experience.

Coober Pedy is not a particularly attractive place but tonight all we need is a clean place to sleep, a decent dinner and a full tank of petrol. Done.

Coober Pedy is full of surprises, danger, man eating sand flies, and underground buildings… just another day in the Outback.