Coober Pedy, which is an Aboriginal name meaning "white men hole in the ground", The name is a combination of two Aboriginal words, Kupaka and Piti. Kupaka is a Mutuntjarra word for white man and Piti an Antakirinja word for hole. The name Coober Pedy was selected on 26 June 1920, from four proposed names.
Coober Pedy is a town with a relatively large population for the area (2700 inhabitants). It's set in a very inhospitable environment , extremely hot and arid, forcing people to live in dugouts : a particularity which gave it its name. (If you dig 3 meters, it will be 25°C all year round, and if you dig 6m, it will be 18°C...) The reason for settling down in such an horrendous place is simple: opal. Opal is a precious stone composed of silica similar to quartz with a varying amount of water trapped within the mineral structure. First discovered early in 1915 by a 14 year old boy, the area is the world's largest opal bearing region and produces over 80% of Australia's opal. The further discovery of opal within 20 centimeters of the surface at the Eight Mile in 1945 caused a great sensation and was a turning point in the history of the field. It went a long way towards establishing Coober Pedy's future prosperity. During the 1960's, the mining industry expanded rapidly due to the many European migrants who came to seek their fortunes. The 60's and 70's saw opal mining develop into a multi million dollar industry with Coober Pedy developing into a modern mining town, now nicknamed "The Opal Capital of the World". Yet, up to 90% of all opal found is valueless 'potch' (opal without colour, usually white or greyish white). Only the remaining 10% is the brilliantly coloured and highly prized gem.
The harsh environment didn't make for easy living. Lack of water, which often had to be re-used many times before being discarded, was always a problem. Today the town water supply comes from an underground source 24 kilometers north of the town, then pumped through an underground pipeline to the water works where it is treated.
The opal fields around Coober Pedy are pitted with abandoned prospecting drill holes and mine shafts which can be up to 30 metres deep.
But I have to say I wasn't so interested in the Opal business. The real attraction of the place for me was the Breakaways, another gorgeous piece of desert scenery. This is the place where the white and yellow mesa known as "The Castle" featured in famous movies like "Mad Max III and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" can be found.