Coober Pedy is the opal
capital of the world.
About 80% of the world's
opals come from the area. The name means "White man's hole" when translated
literally. The miners dug holes in the soft stone and lived in the resulting
caves which provided nice cool shelter from the burning sun. It is interesting
to note that there is no "opal industry", but thousands of individual mines run
by a few persons each.
Between April and October the weather is very pleasant. Typical of a semi desert
climate, the days (16 to 20° C) are mild to warm but the desert nights are cold.
From November to March the weather warms up and summer temperatures can range
from 35° C to the 45° C in the shade, with occasional dust storms. The annual
rainfall in the area is minimal at around 175 mm (5 inches) per annum and can
fall during any time of the year.
Coober
Pedy has evolved in to one of the most unique places in Australia and perhaps
the world. It is a cosmopolitan town with a population of 3,500 and over 45
different nationalities. The relaxed and friendly lifestyle of the town has made
it a breeding ground for cultural tolerance, diversity and acceptance.
Coober Pedy is probably best known for its unique style of underground living.
There is a range of underground accommodation (as well as above ground if you
prefer). There are authentic underground homes to explore as well as underground
museums, potteries, opal shops, an art gallery and, of course, opal mines.
My trip to Cooper Pedy, 12
Jan 2005 ~ 14 Jan 2005:
In order to save time, I took a flight by a private jet from Adelaide to Cooper Pedy. The flight was okay although it was "really" a small plane. It only took 19 passengers and the flight was under an hour. Well, it was my first time to have the pilot and co-pilot also service the plane as flight attendants, of course, when the plane was on the ground! It was not that scary so if you do have the chance, take it.
The most unforgettable memory would be the Mail Run Tour. Travel with the mailman from Australia Post delivering mail to the historic outback towns of Oodnadatta and William Creek as well as remote cattle stations including the world’s largest, “Anna Creek”. The tour travels over diverse country, including gibber plains, red sand hills, and the 120 million year old ancient in-land seabed. It is still the longest mail run in the world and travels 1300kms in 13 hours. What a day!
Want to see my pictures taken in Cooper Pedy? Okay, let's go!
