We have left the Red Centre, crossed the border into South Australia, and spent a couple of days in the middle of nowhere, in Coober Pedy
Well, up front I can say that even though there is public fossicking (noodling) the area of three street blocks in the middle of town, we (I) didn’t find any opals. It is the remnants of the original mine, from 1915, it is called Jewellery Shop Street.
Coober Pedy is the most unusual, bordering on bizarre, town in Australia in our opinion. It is in the middle of the Woomera Missile Testing Area, a restricted access zone.
The landscape for 50km each direction is dotted with digging mounds as anyone can lease a small plot, over 1,500,000 holes
50% of population live underground, and can dig up their front and back yard, homes, motels, churches...all underground
Dust storms roll in like a scene from “The Mummy”, worse when coupled with a thunder storm first, car and van ended up covered in red mud
Talking about movies, several were made nearby at the Breakaways, Mad Max 3, Pitchblack Sci Fi and others
The Breakaways... beautiful colours
Scene of Barter Town from Mad Max 3
Two Dogs...plus Derek
We meet the Dog Proof fence again, it runs around the Breakaways
Underground working mine tour
Monument to the 14yr old Will Hutchison who found the first opal, whilst prospecting for gold with his dad. He never got anything from it, never pursued opal, and died aged 19, drowning in north Qld, whilst droving cattle. He is known as the founder of Coober Pedy.
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