Coober Pedy: The underground treasure trove for opal, a rare gem
Have treasure hunt adventure fictions caught your fancy? Have you ever fantasised unearthing hidden gems from underneath the earth? Well then, let’s take you Coober Pady, an underground desert town in South Australia, 526 miles north of Adelaide, along the Stuart Highway. With about 3,500 inhabitants, it happens to be the opal capital of the world. Opal is an expensive gemstone, found rarely on earth.
Coober Pedy: The inception story
Let’s turn back the clock to 1915. A teenage local miner named Wille Hutchinson chanced upon opals in the area and the news spread like wildfire all across the country. Naturally, people came from far and wide to unearth the rare gemstone. This is when, a group of people decided to build a habitable underground town and take up opal mining as their profession.
The unusual name Coober Pedy was derived out of the aboriginal phrase kupa-piti, meaning “whitefellas’ hole.” This name was attributed to the town in 1920 with the establishment of the first post office. Later on, however, in 1975, the townsmen adopted their own name Umoona, meaning “long life.”
Fast forward to 2022, and Coober Pedy stands as the Opal Capital of the world, producing 70 per cent of the world’s opal. In fact, one of the latest findings was a set of opalised pearls that dates back to 65 million years ago
Life in Coober Pedy
Life in Coober Pedy is not for the faint-hearted. For starters, it’s massively hot with temperatures during the day rising up to 50°C. The nights, on the other hand, are insanely cold, with the temperatures often dropping below the freezing point. This barren town has almost no flora and fauna and its closest water source is more than 15 miles away. Interestingly, for long, its tallest tree was not a tree but a sculpture made out of metal scraps, until a tree-planting initiative was passed by the Australian government to encourage the locals to plant seeds around the town.
Are you wondering where the inhabitants (the opal miners) live? Well, they have built their own homes by doing what they do best, digging holes in the sandstone hillsides using their mining tools. This has led to the development of underground dwellings called “dugouts.” Experts believe that these houses somewhat help the locals beat the harsh weather. You will Besides houses, there are also other public places in Coober Pedy, such as pool halls, golf course, churches, theatres and even bookstores. Interestingly, the town’s only school and two grocery stores are all above the ground. And yes, it’s open for tourists, with a hotel as well as a well-equipped underground museum (Umoona Opal Mine & Museum) with opal exhibits. Here’s another fascinating factoid for you: The town celebrates the Coober Pedy Opal Festival every year on 26th March.