Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy is a town of 3500 people with about 45 nationalities, in the middle of the desert. It is the opal capital of the world. Australia has 95% of the world's opal suppy and the largest amount still comes from Coober Pedy. The town is dusty and dry, surrounded by a moon-like landscape dotted with piles of sand and crushed rock dug up in the search for opal, they look like giant ant hills. The opal workings extend for nearly 40km around the town. The opal rush began here in 1915 when a 14 year old member of a gold-scouting expedition found some surface opals. It was hard work in a dry, hot climate. They would dig a deep well then tunnel along with a pick and shovel, using a handpick or screwdriver when traces of opal were found. Meanwhile tolerating dehydration and flies that like to crawl up your noes and lick your eyeballs. (These, by the way, inhabit most of Australia and they especially like Kyra and Kevin).

In 1920 the area was renamed Coober Pedy from Aboriginal words "kupa piti", assumed to mean 'white man in a hole'. The miners learned to escape the heat by living underground in 'dugouts'. The underground rooms stay at 23 to 25 celsius regardless of the outside temperature. About 50% of the population lives in underground homes now. Most are dug into hillsides. Some homes spread up to 450 square meters underground.

We visited the Old Timer's Mine museum in town. We wore hard hats and followed the self-guided tour through an old opal mine, complete with explanation boards and mining manequins. The temperature underground was a great relief from the heat. Then we got to noodle for opals: digging through piles of discarded rubble for pieces of opal missed by the miners. Many locals make a living off this method. We found some great little pieces of opal. That's what we're up to in the picutre above, the white tub is full of water and when you find what you think is an opal you dip it in the water to wash off the dust and then you'll see the colors shine through. Notice the motorhome in the background? That's ours!