Spending a night in an underground rock cave in the middle of the Australian desert is a journey into silence, stillness, and stone. There is no Wi-Fi. The darkness is total. The quiet, at times, unnerving. Coober Pedy, a remote opal mining town in South Australia, feels less like a destination and more like a frontier settlement on another planet.
Located 950 kilometres northwest of Adelaide along the Stuart Highway, Coober Pedy lies at the edge of the Great Victoria Desert. It is both a functioning town and an active mining field, responsible for most of the world’s opal production. Isolated by vast distances — eight hours' drive from the nearest capital in either direction — the town has adapted to its environment by disappearing beneath it.
More than half of Coober Pedy’s residents live underground in “dugouts,” homes burrowed into iron-rich sandstone to escape the brutal surface temperatures. The subterranean life extends beyond housing: shops, churches, campsites, and hotels all exist beneath the earth. Above ground, the landscape is stark — dry, lunar, and streaked with mining spoil. Below, the town is quiet, cool, and communal. Visitors come to sleep in dugout hotels, to fossick for opals, to watch the desert change colour at dusk.
Beneath the surface where Coober Pedy adapts most cleverly to its environment. Dugouts must be excavated to a depth of at least four metres to avoid collapse. At that depth, under layers of sandstone and siltstone, the temperature remains steady — around 23°C — regardless of season. While the desert above swings between scorching days and near-freezing nights, underground life remains untouched: neither hot nor cold, just constant.
In Coober Pedy, entrances to underground homes can be deceptively ordinary. A low building on a dusty street might conceal a tunnel that slopes gently into the rock, opening into a series of cool, excavated rooms. Meanwhile, life continues above ground, where the streets are coated in a pale film of desert dust and the sun reflects off every surface. There are supermarkets, petrol stations, bars and cafés.
Coober Pedy’s story is driven by the pursuit of fortune. Though the region’s geological origins date back over 150 million years — when an inland sea left behind silica deposits that later formed opal — its modern history began in 1915, when people travelling with a prospecting syndicate discovered opal in the sunbaked soil. Word spread quickly, drawing miners into the remote desert in search of wealth.
The extreme heat soon pushed them underground, where they carved homes and tunnels into the rock for shelter. In 1920, the settlement was named Coober Pedy, from the Aboriginal term kupa piti, meaning “white man in a hole” — a reference to the sight of European miners burrowed into the earth. Over time, the town grew into a culturally diverse outpost, sustained by the fluctuating opal market and defined by its peculiar, enduring relationship with the land.
Coober Pedy’s opal fields were formed millions of years ago, when receding Cretaceous-era seas left silica-rich sediments across the Great Artesian Basin. Opals occur within the Bullfrog Shale and weathered claystone and sandstone layers of the Stuart Range escarpment. These conditions produced the hydrated silica spheres that give opal its distinctive play-of-colour.
Coober Pedy is home to a diverse range of wildlife specially adapted to its harsh arid environment. Australian mammals such as red kangaroos, euros, wallabies, echidnas, and even dingoes beyond the dog fence can be found here. Reptiles are abundant, with species like sand goannas, bearded dragons, perentie lizards, and various geckos common in the region. Birdlife thrives as well, including galahs, budgerigars, parrots, finches, eagles, and bustards.
Nature lovers can explore Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park, where red kangaroos, euros, echidnas, and numerous birds are often seen. Nearby Tallaringa Conservation Park offers a unique arid habitat, especially vibrant after rain, attracting diverse fauna. The stark Moon Plain also provides excellent opportunities to observe desert wildlife in their natural surroundings. Keep to the defined walking trails to avoid damaging the fragile desert environment. Be mindful of the park's rules and markers to preserve the area and wildlife.
Step inside the underground homes originally built by mining families. Some are surprisingly spacious, with a few mansions covering up to 450 square metres. Discover underground churches and art galleries, or stay at the award-winning Desert Cave Hotel, featuring a mining display and opal gallery. Take a self-guided tour of the Old Timers Mine, hand-dug in 1916, with underground homes and opal seams on display.
The Indigenous people are the original inhabitants of the Coober Pedy region, long before white miners arrived in search of opals. To explore their rich culture, visit the Umoona Opal Mine & Museum, where displays highlight the local Aboriginal community’s history, connection to the land, and traditional lifestyles.
Nearby, Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park holds deep cultural significance for the Traditional Owners, offering visitors a chance to experience the ancient landscape they have inhabited for thousands of years. The Coober Pedy Visitor Information Centre also provides information on cultural sites and Indigenous-led tours. Learning about the nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle and traditional ceremonies of the Aboriginal people deepens appreciation for the region and its environment, revealing the enduring bond between Indigenous culture and this unique desert landscape.
Coober Pedy Drive-In, one of Australia’s last surviving drive-in theatres, has been a community hub since its opening in 1965. In 2015, it was upgraded with a digital projector, ensuring high-quality screenings for years ahead. Visitors can enjoy a unique cinematic experience under the desert sky. Please note, explosives are strictly prohibited inside the theatre. For screening times and more information, visit www.cooberpedydrivein.org.au.
In Coober Pedy, accommodation ranges from unique underground hotels like the Desert Cave Hotel and The Underground Motel to above-ground stays such as the Mud Hut Motel and Opal Inn Hotel. Visitors can also choose underground bed and breakfasts like Dug Out B&B, as well as caravan parks and budget-friendly rooms, catering to a variety of preferences and budgets.
For a trip to Coober Pedy, pack sun protection essentials such as a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and high-SPF sunscreen, plus lip balm with UV protection. Layered clothing is vital to manage the desert’s temperature swings—lightweight, breathable fabrics like cotton or linen work well during the day, while long sleeves and trousers offer sun protection. Bring a jumper or fleece for chilly mornings and evenings, and include a rain jacket for occasional showers. Comfortable walking shoes or sturdy sandals are recommended for exploring the rugged terrain. A reusable water bottle is essential to stay hydrated in the arid climate. Additionally, consider a headlamp for night-time activities like stargazing and a small daypack to carry your essentials comfortably while exploring.
Coober Pedy, known as the “opal capital of the world,” lies in Australia’s harsh desert interior. When visiting, stay hydrated and wear sun-protective clothing. For a full experience, plan to stay at least two to three nights, giving you ample time to discover the town and its extraordinary surroundings.
The ideal time to visit Coober Pedy is between April and October, when the weather is cooler and more comfortable for exploring the underground town and surrounding landscapes. Winters are especially mild, providing relief from the extreme heat of summer, which can make daytime activities challenging.
Q1: Why do people live underground in Coober Pedy?
A: Residents live in dugouts to escape the extreme heat of the Australian outback, where summer temperatures often exceed 45°C.
Q2: What is Coober Pedy famous for?
A: Coober Pedy is world-famous for its opal mines, producing most of the world’s precious opal, and for its unique underground lifestyle.
Q3: How can visitors experience underground life in Coober Pedy?
A: Tourists can stay in underground hotels, visit subterranean churches and museums, and explore historic dugouts to experience life below the surface.
Q4: Where is Coober Pedy located in Australia?
A: Coober Pedy is in South Australia, about 850–950 km north of Adelaide, on the Stuart Highway in the heart of the outback.
Q5: What are the top things to do in Coober Pedy?
A: Popular activities include fossicking for opals, touring underground homes and churches, visiting the Umoona Opal Mine & Museum, and exploring the nearby Breakaways Reserve.
