Living Underground In Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy is a quirky town on the outskirts of South Australia, it is also the last major town before crossing over into the Northern Territory if heading north. Many travellers stop here and spend a few days topping up on their supplies plus learning about the history of the town.

Coober Pedy is an old opal mining town and still is. So if you are thinking of getting an opal then here is your best spot to pick one up.

We stayed at Coober Pedy Big4 Tourist Park, the park is basic and doesn’t have much to offer but it is close to town which is convenient. Water is scarce in Coober Pedy so come with full tanks or you can buy water to fill your tanks up at the front of the caravan park.

Coober Pedy Sign

When in Coober Pedy you can’t go past the iconic photo opportunity of the truck and the welcome sign. This little hotspot does get busy and no drones are allowed. We did have to wait 5 minutes in line to get this shot.

Old Timers Mine

Hey Old Timer!

We knew we were going to do a tour when we arrived in Coober Pedy but we didn’t know which one to choose. We are so happy with our choice for the Old Timers Mine Tour. The cost was reasonable for our family of five and was good value for money.

Upon arrival, you will be given a hard hat and a map which has loads of information to match as you walk around the underground mine.

Yes, the mine is underground! You get to walk through the family’s house and get to see how they lived. The rooms are still furnished as they were left when the family moved out. It was just unbelievable to see that a family lived underground during the mining boom. Our kiddos thought this was amazing.

At the end of the tour, you can have a go at fossicking to see what you can find in the opal pit. There are some really cool rocks to be found in there and it becomes a bit addictive!

Big Winch

Another iconic place to visit is the big winch up on the hill, this also gives you a great lookout over the town. When we went up there it was windy and we could only spend a few minutes as the sand was whipping across our eyes. I hope when you visit you can have a better view than us!

Coober Pedy Sign

It’s like the ‘Hollywood’ sign but the Australian outback version. We thought it was very cool and again another great photo opportunity.

So yes the verdict is in! Coober Pedy is another bucket list item to add to the list and if you have already been please drop your favourite place in the comments box as we would love to hear them.

Kylie and Dan from Fearless and Free Range