Brisbane Walks
Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy
Overview
If ‘weird and wonderful’ appeals to you, then Coober Pedy is definitely a must-do! Coober Pedy is a small city in South Australia, 847km North of Adelaide, where the nearest airport is. There is a small, regional airport in Coober Pedy itself, but you cannot go to any of the big cities from there.
The biggest attraction in Coober Pedy is the Opal mining, many little shops make selling opals their livelihood. The other attractions are the homes, hotels, churches, shops, art galleries, cafes and camping ground, all built underground. These buildings are underground as the harsh summer desert temperatures makes it ideal to live underground. Temperatures vary from 2 degrees Celsius in winter to 47 degrees Celsius in summer.
Coober Pedy has one of the few drive-in theaters left in Australia, still operating most Saturday nights.
The first underground home built in Coober Pedy is now called Faye’s Underground Home. It was built by hand by Faye and two of her female friends. It consists of 3 bedrooms with walk in robes, a living room, a bar and wine cellar, a billiard room and a swimming pool. It is open to visitors for a small entrance fee.
We rented a car and drove from Adelaide to Coober Pedy via the Stuart Highway. Along the way we saw many interesting things. There were a lot of Wedgetail Eagles, feeding on kangaroo carcasses, creating gorgeous photo opportunities. We found a few shimmering pink salt lakes, with stunning scenery, including Lake Hart Salt Lake, popular with wedding parties.
The landscape changed immensely from one minute to the other. From woodlands containing plants that can survive the harshest weather conditions to saltbush plains and vivid red sand dunes. Along the way are miles and miles of wind farms, standing on desolate hills. The little towns along the way provide fuel and snacks and a few local roadhouses.
It is not advisable to drive at night as we witnessed many dead kangaroo carcasses as well as many live kangaroos trying to cross the road. They are very unpredictable and can jump in front of your car at any second. Should this unfortunate event happen, approach with caution, if the animal is dead, check the underbelly for a pouch, there may be a joey inside. Keep it warm in your jumper or any other warm clothing, call the wildlife emergency on 1300477722 or 0882890896 and ask for assistance. If the animal is not dead, call the number but do not approach an adult animal as it can be dangerous. Should you be close to Coober Pedy, the animal can be taken to Josephine’s Kangaroo Orphanage, 131-133 Hutchison St, Coober Pedy, 0428356669.
National Greyhound Coaches provide daily services from Adelaide to Coober Pedy, taking about 11hrs.
The Breakaways (Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park)
Once covered by an inland sea, the Breakaways are flat-topped mesas in a rocky landscape about 34km from Coober Pedy. It includes the bizarre looking Moon Plain and part of the Dingo Fence. There are 3 main lookouts in the Park from where the landscape can be admired. While driving through the unsealed roads in this Conservation Park, it is not difficult to imagine you have found a remote planet somewhere in the universe. It is amazing to watch the sunrise or sunset where the sandstone colors of the hills change colors as the sun shifts. It is not difficult to see why the unique landscape of the Moon Plain was chosen for a number of movie locations, including the famous movies Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome, The Red Planet and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
You need a permit, $10 per car per day which can be bought from the Visitor Information Center in the middle of Coober Pedy. address: Lot 773, Hutchison St, Coober Pedy. They are open from 9am to 5pm on weekdays and from 9am to 1pm on weekends. (08) 8672 4617. There are tours available in Coober Pedy if you do not have a car.
Dingo Fence (Dog Fence)
The Dingo Fence has an interesting history. It was built to protect the sheep farmers from Dingoes killing their sheep. Unfortunately an ecological problem was the result where the natural predator of the kangaroos and emus were exterminated on the one side of the fence. This resulted in an explosion of kangaroo and emu population. Culling had to be introduced to shrink the numbers of these animals.
This fence is the longest continual man-made structure in the world, stretching 5300km from outside Coober Pedy in South Australia, continuing along the border of New South Wales and ending in western Queensland.
The Big Winch
The 8m tall Big Winch with its huge dangling bucket was built in the 1970’s as a tribute to the opal mining industry. It is a replica of the machinery used to bring opals to the surface. Today it is deserted and looks uncared for. It is definitely worthwhile going up the hill to the scenic site for the sweeping, 360 degrees views across Coober Pedy. The views are particularly stunning at sunset or sunrise on a clear day. There are toilets, but they were locked when we visited on 3 occasions. You can sit at the picnic tables while waiting for the sunset or sunrise.
There is a metal tree built by artist Klaus Wirris. He decided the tree should be named ‘The First Tree in Coober Pedy’ as Coober Pedy was in a huge drought situation at the time. He jokingly stated that the tree would not be killed by over-watering! You can also see unusual sculptures at the site from the movie ‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’. I can definitely recommend the views from the Big Winch. We were lucky to have a clear day on the day we visited. The sunset was stunning and the town looked eerie in the fading daylight, especially when the lights started to turn on.
Josephine’s Kangaroo Orphanage
A must see in Coober Pedy is the kangaroo orphanage. Here, tourists can visit the world class Aboriginal Art Gallery and also meet orphaned kangaroos. A guide takes groups of visitors to have a close look at these amazing animals. Josephine’s do a good job raising orphaned kangaroos. Interesting Aboriginal paintings and other artworks are for sale.
The public can take any joey found by their dead mothers or elsewhere, usually killed by road traffic, to the orphanage and it will be cared for. Although there is no entrance fees, they operate on donations, so please, when visiting, give a small donation.
Underground Churches
There are a few interesting underground churches that can be visited.
The Catacomb Church is open 24hrs everyday. It was built in 1977, cut out of the sandstone in the shape of a cross. There is a church service on Sundays at 09:30. Address: Lot 746, Catacomb Road, Coober Pedy.
The Revival Fellowship is set in an old opal mine. It is open from 8am to 7pm everyday. There are lively gospel services on Wednesdays at 07:30pm and on Sundays at 10:15am and 7pm. Address: Crowders Gully Rd, Coober Pedy.
The Serbian Orthodox Church built in 1993 has a striking scalloped ceiling, rock carved sculptures and stunning stained glass windows. The floor is 17m under the ground level. They ask for a donation to enter the church. Address: Potch Gully Rd, Coober Pedy.
St Peter & Paul’s Catholic Church is a Natural Heritage listed building as it was the first underground church in Coober Pedy. Church services are at 06:30am on Saturdays and at 10:00am on Sundays. Address: Lot 27 Hutchison St, Coober Pedy.
Cemeteries
There are two cemeteries in Coober Pedy.
The Greek Orthodox Cemetery is located next to the Greek Orthodox Church in St Nicholas Street, Coober Pedy.
Boot Hill Cemetery was built in the 1970’s. There are interesting tombstones, including a quirky gravestone in the form of an 18 gallon beer keg, with the inscription ‘Have a drink on me’.