There are many fascinating civilizations globally, with beautiful landscapes, interesting fauna, and flora species coupled with a serene atmosphere for tourists attractions, but the Coober Pedy has become renowned not because of these features but for it's unusual location beneath the ground in Australia.
Cooper Pedy is a town situated in northern South Australia, 526 miles from Adelaide. This mining town is renowned for its abundance of the precious stone known as 'Opal' earning it the name "the opal capital of the world".
Photo: sample of Opal gem
The name Coober Pedy was gotten from the word " kupa-piti" - meaning "white fellas' hole", due to it's numerous dugouts in the town - to minimize the scorching daytime heat.
The civilization of this town was established 1st February, 1916.
Due to the scorching desert temperatures residents prefer to build their houses in dugouts. The houses excavated underground has the equivalence of building a house on the surface in Australia.
Certain miners have been fortunate enough to find these gems while excavating their houses. These gems for some were sufficient to cover the cost of the proposed building projects.
This fascinating town is filled with opal fields and oil reserves. Due to the presence of certain heritage sites and minerals, Coober Pedy has attracted a lot of tourists - yielding a form of sustenance both from mining and tourism.
Tourists often visit mines like Umoona opal museum, motels, the underground churches: Serbian Orthodox Church and the Coober Pedy Catholic Church and Presbytery, and the three-roomed dugout.
Coober Pedy has several recreational facilities which includes a golf course belonging to the Coober Pedy golf club. The town also has an Australian rules football club, the Coober Pedy saints, established in 2004.
Due to the photogenic nature of this town, many movies have been shot by filmmakers within the town and it's hinterland.
Popular films like Pitch black, Ground Zero and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
The inspiration for this amazing settlements began after a 14-year-old boy found opal stone in the environs. Soon, early miners and residents began to devise a means to avoid the harsh weather of the mining site, through the use of dugouts.
Residents of this town have often spoken of the serene, peaceful and quiet atmosphere which is felt within the underground houses.
The town is truly a beauty to behold with several supermarkets and shops belonging to tourists. These people also celebrate an annual Coober Pedy Opal festival every 6th of March.
Residents have been highly resourceful at thriving in this intriguing locality - ensuring things are perfectly similar to houses above the ground except for the absence of sunlight, in homes situated underground.
The houses are built by excavating sections in the rocky hills.
The homes underground have all basic amenities, ranging from electricity, internet and water.
The town sources it's water from the Great Artesian basin which is roughly 20miles away from the town.
The church is located 55ft below the earth surface. One thing to be highly wary of in the underground houses at night is your steps to avoid a misplaced step.
According to science the town's opal deposits was a result of the deposit of minerals by the ocean, in the town which was once occupied by the ocean.
In the wake of things, Coober Pedy is a place worth visiting for travel lovers and tourists.
Content created and supplied by: phenomenalcreator (via Opera News )
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