Known as the official halfway point between Adelaide and Alice Springs, the unique town of Coober Pedy has got a lot more to it than just being Australia’s opal capital. Book your stay at Comfort Inn Coober Pedy Experience to immerse in this former working opal mine. Read on for some of the secrets that this iconic town has hidden beneath its dugouts!
1. From the aboriginal term ‘kupa-piti’ meaning “boys’ waterhole”, Coober Pedy is a town with an estimated population of just over 1600.
2. The closest town to Coober Pedy is over 200 km away!
3. Often referred to as the “opal capital of the world”, Coober Pedy is where most of these precious gems can be found. The majority of jobs in the town revolve around opal mining.
4. Coober Pedy was featured as an open world location in the hit video game series Forza, with the town being a prime setting in the third instalment. One of the rarest muscle cars in the game can be located on the map just south of Coober Pedy.
5. A large shelter made out of a pit in the ground, dugouts are scattered all over Coober Pedy. If a conventional room night is more your thing, check out this underground hotel!
6. A few iconic Australian movies have used Coober Pedy as the backdrop, including ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ and ‘Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome’. The former having some scenes filmed in White Cliff’s Underground Hotel, while the latter had the majority of their car chases captured on the rough terrains of Lunar Plains.
7. Looking to strike it rich? Have a go at ‘fossicking’ in the Jewell Box – grab a shovel and pick, and away you dig, heigh-ho!
Related: Legendary underground dwelling a must-see (Crocodile Harry’s House, Coober Pedy)
Searching for holiday destinations in South Australia? Here’s a list of the top locations.
Organise Your Trip:
NSW School Holidays | VIC School Holidays | School Holidays QLD | SA School Holidays | NZ School Holidays
