View source for Coober Pedy

{{This|the town|the local government area|District Council of Coober Pedy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = town
| name                   = Coober Pedy
| native_name            = Umoona
| state                  = sa
| image                  = Coober Pedy - panoramio (4).jpg
| caption                = Town centre
| image_alt              =
| coordinates            = {{coord|29|0|40|S|134|45|20|E|display=inline,title}}
| relief                 =
| pushpin_map_caption    =
| pushpin_label_position =
| map_alt                =
| pop                    = <!-- Leave blank to draw the latest automatically from Wikidata. -->
| poprank                =
| density                =
| density_footnotes      =
| established            = 1915
| established_footnotes  =
| abolished              =
| gazetted               =
| postcode               = 5723
| elevation              =
| elevation_footnotes    =
| area                   =
| area_footnotes         =
| timezone               =
| utc                    =
| timezone-dst           =
| utc-dst                =
| dist1                  = 846
| dir1                   = NW
| location1              = [[Adelaide]]
| dist2                  = 688
| dir2                   = S
| location2              = [[Alice Springs]]
| lga                    = [[District Council of Coober Pedy]]
| county                 =
| region                 = [[Far North (South Australia)|Far North]]
| stategov               = [[Electoral district of Giles|Giles]]
| fedgov                 = [[Division of Grey|Grey]]
| url                    =
| maxtemp                = 27.8
| maxtemp_footnotes      = <ref name=climate>{{cite web 
|url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_016090_All.shtml|title = Coober Pedy Airport Climate Statistics (1994-2024)
|publisher = [[Bureau of Meteorology]]|access-date = August 18, 2024}}</ref>
| mintemp                = 14.2
| mintemp_footnotes = <ref name=climate/>
| rainfall               = 144.2
| rainfall_footnotes = <ref name=climate/>
| near                   =
| near-n                 = [[Mount Willoughby, South Australia|Mount Willoughby]]<br/>[[Mount Barry, South Australia|Mount Barry]]
| near-ne                = [[Anna Creek, South Australia|Anna Creek]]
| near-e                 = [[Anna Creek, South Australia|Anna Creek]]
| near-se                = [[Mount Douall, South Australia|Mount Douall]]
| near-s                 = [[Ingomar, South Australia|Ingomar]]
| near-sw                = [[Mount Clarence Station, South Australia|Mount Clarence Station]]<br/>[[Ingomar, South Australia|Ingomar]]
| near-w                 = [[Mount Clarence Station, South Australia|Mount Clarence Station]]
| near-nw                = [[Mount Willoughby, South Australia|Mount Willoughby]]
| footnotes              = Adjoining localities<ref name=PLB>{{cite web|title=Search result for "Coober Pedy (LOCB)" (Record no SA0015214) with the following layers selected - "Suburbs and Localities", "Place names (gazetteer)" and "Road Labels"|url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/|work=Property Location Browser|publisher=Government of South Australia|access-date=2 February 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/|archive-date=12 October 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
}}
'''Coober Pedy''' ({{IPAc-en|'|k|uː|b|ər|_|'|p|iː|d|i}}) is a town in northern [[South Australia]], {{convert|846|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of [[Adelaide]] on the [[Stuart Highway]].  The town is sometimes referred to as the "opal capital of the world" because of the quantity of precious [[opal]]s mined there. A blower truck is raised above the town sign, representing the importance of opal mining to the town's history. Coober Pedy is also renowned for its below-ground dwellings, called "[[dugout (shelter)|dugouts]]", which are built in this fashion due to the scorching daytime heat.

The name "Coober Pedy" is thought to derive from the [[Kokatha dialect|Kokatha-]][[Barngarla language|Barngarla]] term ''kupa-piti'', which translates to "whitefellas' hole", but in 1975 the local [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal people]] of the town adopted the name '''Umoona''', which means "long life" and is also their name for the [[Acacia aneura|mulga tree]].

== History ==
Aboriginal people have a longstanding connection with the area,<ref name=welcome/> which is considered by the [[Western Desert cultural bloc|people of the Western Desert]] to be the traditional lands of the [[Arabana people]], although [[Kokatha]] and [[Yankunytjatjara]] people are also closely attached to some [[Aboriginal sacred site|ceremonial sites]] in the area. The name of the town (decided in 1920)<ref name=hist/> is thought to derive from the words in the [[Kokatha language]], ''kupa piti'', usually translated as "[[whitefella]]" and "hole in the ground", or ''guba bidi'', "white man's holes", relating to white people's mining activities.<ref name=naessen/>{{refn|group=note|Also reported as meaning "boys' waterhole" in some sources.<ref>{{cite web|title=A compendium of the place names of South Australia |url=https://published.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/placenamesofsouthaustralia/[C] |last=Manning |first=Geoffrey H. |date=2012 |website=[[ State Library of South Australia]] |access-date= }}</ref><ref>[http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/c/c10.htm#cooberPedy Place Names of South Australia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728073648/http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/c/c10.htm |date=28 July 2012 }}</ref>}}  Further investigation into the words by linguists shows that ''kupa''  may have originated from the [[Parnkalla language]] and that ''piti'' may be the Kokatha word specifically created for "quarry" (a white man's activity).<ref name=naessen>{{cite journal|title=The etymology of Coober Pedy, South Australia |first=Petter |last=Naessan|journal=[[Aboriginal History]]|volume=34|date=2010|jstor=24047032 |pages=217–233 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24047032 }} [https://cooberpedyregionaltimes.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/the-etymology-of-coober-pedy1.pdf PDF]</ref>

In 1858, Scottish-born [[John McDouall Stuart]] was the first European explorer to pass near the site of Coober Pedy.<ref name=welcome/>

On 1 February 1915, Wille Hutchison discovered the first opal in the area, after which the town was established.<ref name=welcome>{{cite web|url=http://www.cooberpedy.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm |title=District Council of Coober Pedy - Welcome to the Opal Capital of the World|author=Henderson Henderson|access-date=2007-09-29|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120722164421/http://www.cooberpedy.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm |archive-date=2012-07-22|url-status=dead}}</ref> Opal miners started moving in around 1916.<ref name=natgeog/>

In 1920, five years later, a meeting settled on the name of Coober Pedy, when a [[post office]] was established.<ref name=hist/>

In July 1975, the local Aboriginal people of Coober Pedy adopted the name Umoona, which means "long life" and is also their name for the ''[[Acacia aneura]]'', or mulga tree, which is plentiful in the area.<ref name=hist>{{cite web | title=The History of Coober Pedy | website=Coober Pedy SA  | url=https://www.cooberpedy.com/coober-pedy-history/ | access-date=2021-10-13}}</ref> The name has since been used for various establishments in the town (Umoona Opal Mine and Museum, Umoona Community Art Centre, Umoona Tjutagku Health Service Aboriginal Corporation).

==Location and governance==
[[File:Outback Trip - Coober Pedy Welcome Sign (4157723082).jpg|thumb|Town sign, with blower truck]]
Coober Pedy is about halfway between [[Adelaide]] and [[Alice Springs]],<ref>{{cite web | last=Klein | first=Steve | title=Adelaide to Alice Springs Drive & Stops Along the Way | website=Curious Campers | date=14 July 2023 | url=https://curiouscampers.com.au/adelaide-to-alice-springs-drive/ | access-date=26 August 2024}}</ref>  in the [[Far North (South Australia)|Far North]] region of South Australia.<ref name=FN>{{cite web|title=Far North SA government region |url=http://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/6905/Far_North_SA_Government_region.pdf |publisher=The Government of South Australia|access-date=16 August 2015}}</ref> 

It falls within the [[electoral district of Giles]] for the [[Government of South Australia|state government]] elections,<ref name=Giles>{{cite web|title=District of Giles Background Profile |url= http://www.ecsa.sa.gov.au/component/edocman/?task=document.download&id=500&Itemid=0 |publisher=Electoral Commission SA|access-date=20 August 2015}}</ref> and in the federal government [[Division of Grey]].<ref name=AEC>{{cite web|title=Federal electoral division of Grey, boundary gazetted 16 December 2011|url= http://www.aec.gov.au/profiles/sa/files/2011/2011-aec-a4-map-sa-grey.pdf |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission|access-date=20 August 2015}}</ref>

==Geography==
Coober Pedy is situated on the edge of the erosional scarp of the [[Stuart Range, South Australia|Stuart Ranges]], on beds of [[sandstone]] and [[siltstone]] {{convert|30|m|ft|round=10}} deep and topped with a stony, treeless desert. Very little plant life exists in town due to the region's low rainfall, the high cost of water, and lack of topsoil.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Water |url=https://cdn.environment.sa.gov.au/landscape/images/SAAL_districts_and_Bioregions.pdf |title=South Australian Arid Lands: Districts and bioregions |date=2022 |publisher=Department for Environment and Water }}</ref>

[[File:Coober Pedy - Sunset on the Breakways.jpg|thumb|Coober Pedy – sunset on the Breakways]]
The harsh summer desert temperatures mean that many residents prefer to live in caves bored into the hillsides (known as "[[dugout (shelter)|dugouts]]"). A standard three-bedroom cave home with lounge, kitchen, and bathroom can be excavated out of the rock in the hillside for a price similar to building a house on the surface. However, dugouts remain at a constant temperature, while surface buildings need [[air conditioning]], especially during the summer months, when temperatures often exceed {{convert|40|C|F}}. The [[relative humidity]] rarely exceeds 20% on these hot days, and the skies are usually cloud-free. The average maximum temperature is {{convert|30|-|32|C|F}}, but it can get quite cool in the winter.{{cn|date=October 2020}}

The town's water supply, managed by the District Council which operates a bore and associated treatment plant, comes from the [[Great Artesian Basin]]. Problems with ageing pipes, high water loss, and lack of subsidies contribute to consumer water charges being the highest in South Australia.<ref>[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-06/coober-pedy-water-supply-concerns-opal-capital/10867894 Opal capital Coober Pedy 'on knife-edge' as desert town faces big water problem] ''ABC News'', 6 March 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2020.</ref>

=== Climate ===
[[File:Coober Pedy - panoramio (1).jpg|thumb|Coober Pedy, March 2005]]
Coober Pedy has a [[desert climate#hot desert climate|hot desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen:]] BWh), with very hot summers and mild winters. There is great [[seasonal variation]] due to the town's inland location. Average maxima vary between {{convert|36.7|C}} in January and {{convert|18.4|C}} in June; average minima range between {{convert|22.2|C}} in January and {{convert|6.3|C}} in July.<ref>{{cite web 
|url = https://www.farmonlineweather.com.au/climate/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=16090 |title = Coober Pedy Airport Climate (1994-2024) |website = FarmOnline Weather |access-date = August 18, 2024}}</ref> The mean annual [[precipitation]] is among the lowest in [[Australia]]: {{convert|144.2|mm|in}}. It is well-distributed, spread across 38.8 precipitation days.<ref>[http://www.cooberpedy.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=368 Coober Pedy Visitor Information Centre > Climate] Accessed 13 July 2014.</ref><ref>[http://www.cooberpedy.com.au/coober-pedy-weather/ CooberPedy.com.au > Coober Pedy weather] Accessed 15 July 2014.</ref>  The town is very sunny, experiencing 173.8 clear days and only 63.7 cloudy days per year. Extreme temperatures have ranged from {{convert|48.3|C}} on 20 December 2019 to {{convert|-2.0|C}} on 30 July 1976.<ref>{{cite web 
|url = https://www.farmonlineweather.com.au/climate/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=16007 |title = Coober Pedy Climate (1921-2018) |website = FarmOnline Weather |access-date = 18 August 2024}}</ref><ref group="note">Extremes were combined from the closed Coober Pedy station and the current weather station at the [[Coober Pedy Airport|airport]].</ref>   

Coober Pedy was flooded when {{convert|115|mm|in}} – more than three-quarters of the mean annual rainfall – was recorded in 24 hours on 10 April 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-10/hopping-mad-residents-hit-by-outback-flooding-at-coober-pedy/5379926 |title='Hopping mad' residents hit by outback flooding at Coober Pedy |date=10 April 2014 |website=Abc.net.au |access-date=13 June 2017}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Coober Pedy (29º01'48"S, 134º43'12"E, 225 m AMSL) (1994–2024 normals, extremes to 1965)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|collapsed = Y
|Jan record high C = 47.8
|Feb record high C = 48.1
|Mar record high C = 44.4
|Apr record high C = 41.5
|May record high C = 33.5
|Jun record high C = 32.1
|Jul record high C = 32.0
|Aug record high C = 36.4
|Sep record high C = 39.4
|Oct record high C = 44.8
|Nov record high C = 45.9
|Dec record high C = 48.3
|Jan high C = 36.7
|Feb high C = 35.6
|Mar high C = 32.2
|Apr high C = 27.2
|May high C = 22.0
|Jun high C = 18.4
|Jul high C = 18.7
|Aug high C = 21.2
|Sep high C = 25.8
|Oct high C = 28.9
|Nov high C = 32.1
|Dec high C = 34.6
|Jan low C = 22.2
|Feb low C = 21.5
|Mar low C = 18.6
|Apr low C = 14.4
|May low C = 9.9
|Jun low C = 6.9
|Jul low C = 6.3
|Aug low C = 7.6
|Sep low C = 11.2
|Oct low C = 14.2
|Nov low C = 17.6
|Dec low C = 20.0
|Jan record low C = 9.4
|Feb record low C = 10.6
|Mar record low C = 9.2
|Apr record low C = 5.0
|May record low C = 1.4
|Jun record low C = -0.1   
|Jul record low C = -2.0   
|Aug record low C = 0.6
|Sep record low C = 1.7
|Oct record low C = 3.9
|Nov record low C = 6.7
|Dec record low C = 10.0   
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 14.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 14.3
|Mar precipitation mm = 10.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 14.3
|May precipitation mm = 9.4
|Jun precipitation mm = 13.4
|Jul precipitation mm = 4.8
|Aug precipitation mm = 6.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 8.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 13.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 15.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 19.3
|year precipitation mm = 144.2
|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 2.9
|Feb precipitation days = 2.4
|Mar precipitation days = 2.4
|Apr precipitation days = 3.0
|May precipitation days = 2.8
|Jun precipitation days = 3.9
|Jul precipitation days = 2.7
|Aug precipitation days = 2.8
|Sep precipitation days = 3.1
|Oct precipitation days = 3.5
|Nov precipitation days = 4.7
|Dec precipitation days = 4.6
|Jan afthumidity = 18
|Feb afthumidity = 22
|Mar afthumidity = 22
|Apr afthumidity = 26
|May afthumidity = 33
|Jun afthumidity = 41
|Jul afthumidity = 37
|Aug afthumidity = 29
|Sep afthumidity = 24
|Oct afthumidity = 22
|Nov afthumidity = 21
|Dec afthumidity = 20
|Jan dew point C = 4.0
|Feb dew point C = 5.7
|Mar dew point C = 3.5
|Apr dew point C = 3.1
|May dew point C = 3.5
|Jun dew point C = 3.4
|Jul dew point C = 1.7
|Aug dew point C = -0.1
|Sep dew point C = 0.1
|Oct dew point C = 0.1
|Nov dew point C = 1.7
|Dec dew point C = 3.3
|source 1 = [[Bureau of Meteorology]] (1994–2024 normals, extremes to 1965)<ref name=climate/><ref>{{cite web 
|url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_016007_All.shtml
|title = Coober Pedy Climate Statistics (1921–2018)
|publisher = [[Bureau of Meteorology]]
|access-date = August 18, 2024}}
</ref>
}}

==Mining==
===Opals===
{{stack|[[File:Coober Pedy, Umoona Opal Mine - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Umoona Opal Mine]]}}
[[Oral tradition|Oral history]] suggests that Aboriginal people knew where opals were in the Coober Pedy area, but did not value them because food was more important.<ref name=higgins2024>{{cite web | last=Higgins | first=Kate | last2=Carbone | first2=Isabella | title=The 'very, very untold history' of Coober Pedy's Aboriginal opal miners | website=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] | date=17 August 2024 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-17/untold-history-of-coober-pedys-aboriginal-opal-miners/104113868 | access-date=26 August 2024}}</ref> In 1915, the first opals near Coober Pedy were found by a gold prospector. Earlier opal mining in Australia was mainly concentrated in [[New South Wales]] in towns such as [[Lightning Ridge, New South Wales#European settlement|Lightning Ridge]] and [[White Cliffs, New South Wales|White Cliffs]], and nearby [[Andamooka, South Australia|Andamooka]] in South Australia.<ref name=":1"/> 

Following [[World War I]], returning soldiers sought employment in the opal mines, which were expanding rapidly, and following [[World War II]] many refugees, veterans, and immigrants from [[Southern Europe|Southern]] and [[Eastern Europe]] found employment in the mines as well. At some points in the post-war period, up to 60 per cent of miners at Coober Pedy had Southern or Eastern European ancestry.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Shang, GG |first=Phoebe |date=n.d. |title=Opal Mining in Coober Pedy: History and Methods |url=https://www.gemsociety.org/article/opal-mining-coober-pedy/ |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=International Gem Society (IGS)}}</ref> Aboriginal people were also employed in the industry from the 1940s.<ref name=higgins2024/> A 2016 thesis by M. Harding suggests "the small-scale and informal nature of the opal industry attracted Aboriginal people because of the level of workplace autonomy it provided", and it also accommodated their cultural practices. While opal mining around the town had slumped in the early 1940s, it picked up after a local Aboriginal woman, Tottie Bryant, discovered a large deposit in 1945.<ref name=harding2016>{{cite thesis | last=Harding | first=Michael Albert | title='Plenty of opal back then: Opal Pulkah': a history of Aboriginal engagement in the Northern South Australian opal industry c.1940–1980 |type=PhD| publisher= [[University of Adelaide]]| website=Adelaide Research & Scholarship | date=August 2016 | url=https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/handle/2440/111998 | access-date=26 August 2024}} [https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/111998/2/02whole.pdf PDF]</ref>

In August 1956 at the Eight Mile opal field, the [[Olympic Australis]] opal was found approximately 30 feet below the ground. It is the largest and one of the most valuable opals mined to date, consisting of 99 per cent gem opal (the other 1 per cent being soil). The Olympic Australis measures {{convert|280|x|120|x|115|mm}} and weighs {{convert|17000|carat}}. It was valued at AU$2,500,000 (roughly US$1,708,000) in both 1997 and 2005, and is currently held in the offices of [[Altmann & Cherny Ltd]], one of Australia's most prominent vendors and authorities on opals.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-08-22 |title=Famous Opals |url=https://www.opalsdownunder.com.au/learn/famous-opals/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Opals Down Under |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref name=":1" />  

Starting around the 1970s, mechanized opal mining became more common, allowing for faster and comparatively less dangerous shaft digging, tunnelling, and [[tailings]] removal. 

By 1999, there were more than 250,000 [[shaft mining|mine shaft]] entrances in the area. [[Fossicking]] and mining laws discouraged large-scale mining by allowing each prospector a {{convert|165|sqft|m2|adj=on}} claim.<ref name="natgeog">Smith, R. ''Australia: Journey Through a Timeless Land''. National Geographic Society, 1999. p 118.</ref> These laws were also enacted in response to the hazards of walking around the town, with many mine shafts unmarked, abandoned, or merely dangerous to navigate. Coober Pedy supplies most of the world's gem-quality opal; it has over 70 [[opal]] fields.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cooberpedy.com/opals-2/ |access-date=4 February 2023 |title=Opals - The Gem of the Outback}}</ref> An opalized fossil skeleton of an [[Umoonasaurus]], nicknamed "Eric", was discovered in the Zorba Extension Opal Field near to Coober Pedy. The fossil is now in the Westpac Long Gallery of the [[Australian Museum]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shepherd |first=Tory |date=13 May 2023 |title=White Cliffs NSW: where life is lived underground and the desert 'does all sorts of strange things' |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/may/14/white-cliffs-nsw-where-life-is-lived-underground-and-the-desert-does-all-sorts-of-strange-things |access-date=15 May 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yi Zhen |first=Yong |date=4 April 2017 |title=A National Treasure |url=https://australian.museum/blog/museullaneous/a-national-treasure/australian.museum/blog/museullaneous/a-national-treasure/ |access-date=15 May 2023 |website=The Australian Museum |language=en}}</ref>

Around 95 per cent of the opals mined today are gray, white potch, or [[Opal#Common opal|common opals]], which are less valuable as they do not have [[opalescence]]. [[Opal#Precious opal|Black opals]] and other precious opals are rarer, but much more valuable for their opalescence and other desirable [[optical properties]].

===Other minerals===
In May 2009, South Australian Premier [[Mike Rann]] opened the $1.15 billion [[Prominent Hill Mine]], {{convert|130|km|mi}} southeast of Coober Pedy. The copper-gold mine is operated by [[OZ Minerals]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/prominent-hill-open-for-business/story-e6freo8c-1225715246325 |title=Prominent Hill open for business |author=Christopher Russell |work=The Advertiser |date=25 May 2009 |access-date=9 September 2014}}</ref>

In August 2010, Rann opened the [[Cairn Hill mine|Cairn Hill iron ore/copper/gold mine]] operated by [[IMX Resources]] near Coober Pedy. It was the first new iron ore mining area opened in South Australia since the 19th century.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.imxresources.com.au/_content/documents/946.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219052429/http://www.imxresources.com.au/_content/documents/946.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 February 2011 |title=IMX Celebrates Opening of SA's First Iron Ore Mining District Since 19th Century |publisher=IMX Resources |date=26 August 2010 |access-date=9 September 2014 }}</ref> Due to low iron ore prices, the Cairn Hill mine was closed in June 2014.<ref>[http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/cairn-hill-iron-ore-miner-imx-resources-to-close-south-australian-office-focus-on-tanzanian-exploration/story-fni6uma6-1227046288110 Cairn Hill iron ore miner IMX Resources to close South Australian office, focus on Tanzanian exploration] ''The Advertiser'', 3 September 2014. Accessed 4 September 2014.</ref> It was sold to [[Cu-River Mining]] who reopened the mine in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.curiver.com.au/overview |title=Overview |publisher=Cu-River Mining |access-date=24 September 2019}}</ref>

===Oil reserves===
In 2013, a potentially significant [[tight oil]] (oil trapped in oil-bearing shales) resource was found near the outskirts of Coober Pedy in the [[Arckaringa Basin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/major-oil-discovery-outback-sa-001211636.html|title=Major oil discovery in outback SA|date=24 January 2013|work=Yahoo7 Finance Australia|access-date=8 July 2013|archive-date=26 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726012823/http://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/major-oil-discovery-outback-sa-001211636.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> This resource was estimated to hold between {{convert|3.5|and|223|Goilbbl}} of oil, providing the potential for Australia to become a net oil exporter.<ref>{{cite news|last=England|first=Cameron|title=$20 trillion shale oil find surrounding Coober Pedy 'can fuel Australia'|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/trillion-shale-oil-find-surrounding-coober-pedy-can-fuel-australia/story-fndo471r-1226560401043|access-date=23 January 2013|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=24 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/business/companies/trillion-shale-oil-find-surrounding-coober-pedy-can-fuel-australia/story-fnda1bsz-1226560401043|title=$20 trillion shale oil find surrounding Coober Pedy 'can fuel Australia'|work=NewsComAu|access-date=24 January 2013|archive-date=12 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512051537/http://www.news.com.au/business/companies/trillion-shale-oil-find-surrounding-coober-pedy-can-fuel-australia/story-fnda1bsz-1226560401043|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Tourism==
{{stack|
[[File:Coober Pedy - Inside jewelry shop.jpg|thumb|An underground jewellery shop in Coober Pedy]]
[[File:Entrance to an underground motel, Coober Pedy, 2007.jpg|thumb|Entrance to an underground motel, Coober Pedy, 2007]]
[[File:Coober Pedy underground motel room, 2007.jpg|thumb|Coober Pedy underground motel room]]
}}
Coober Pedy is famous for its underground accommodation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Australian town where people live underground |url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230803-the-town-where-people-live-underground |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> The town has become a popular stopover point and [[tourist destination]], especially since 1987, when the sealing of the [[Stuart Highway]] was completed.{{cn|date=October 2020}}

Coober Pedy today relies as much on tourism as the opal mining industry to provide the community with employment and sustainability.{{cn|date=October 2020}} 

Visitor attractions in Coober Pedy include the mines, the graveyard and the underground churches (the [[Serbian Orthodox Church, Coober Pedy|Serbian Orthodox Church]] and the Catholic Church).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cooberpedy.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Coober_Pedy_General_Attractions.pdf | title=Coober Pedy Attractions | publisher=Coober Pedy Visitors Information Center | access-date=23 July 2015}}</ref> There are several motels offering underground accommodation, ranging from a few rooms to the entire motel being a dug-out.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cooberpedy.net/where-to-stay |title=Experience Underground |website=www.cooberpedy.net |access-date=14 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607051047/http://www.cooberpedy.net/where-to-stay |archive-date=7 June 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The hybrid [[Coober Pedy Solar Power Station]] supplies power to the [[off-grid]] area.<ref>{{cite web |title=EDL's Coober Pedy Hybrid Renewable Project wins at 2019 Asia Power Awards |url=https://reneweconomy.com.au/edls-coober-pedy-hybrid-renewable-project-wins-at-2019-asia-power-awards-30985/ |website=RenewEconomy|date=5 September 2019}}</ref>

The dugout of crocodile hunter and WWII [[Latvian National Armed Forces]] soldier {{interlanguage link|Arvid Blumenthal|de}} (or "Crocodile Harry") is a famous tourist spot, known as "Crocodile Harry's Underground Nest". It is known for its bone collection, art and graffiti, and messages written by tourists. The dugout is featured as a set in movies, including [[Pitch Black (film)|''Pitch Black'']] and ''[[Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-04 |title=Crocodile Harry: The Man Who Inspired Crocodile Dundee |url=https://theculturetrip.com/pacific/australia/articles/crocodile-harry-the-man-who-inspired-crocodile-dundee |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Culture Trip |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Crocodile Harry's Underground Nest & Dugout |url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/crocodile-harry-s-underground-nest-dugout |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Atlas Obscura |language=en}}</ref>

The Umoona Opal Mine and Museum is a popular attraction.<ref>{{cite web | title=Umoona Opal Mine And Museum  | website=South Australia|publisher=Government of South Australia  | url=https://southaustralia.com/products/flinders-ranges/attraction/umoona-opal-mine-and-museum | access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>

The annual Coober Pedy Opal Festival takes place in June, with the 35th festival occurring in 2024.<ref>{{cite web | title=Home | website=Coober Pedy Opal Festival | url=https://opalfestival.com.au/ | access-date=14 February 2025}}</ref>

=== Heritage sites ===
[[File:Serbian Orthodox Church in Coober Pedy.jpg|thumb|The underground Church of St Elijah, a Serbian Orthodox Church]]
Coober Pedy has a number of [[heritage-listed]] sites, including:

* 13 Hutchison Street: Three-Roomed Dugout<ref>{{cite web | url=http://apps.planning.sa.gov.au/HeritageSearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=16291 | title=Three-roomed dugout, including the ground within two metres of the dugout space | publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources | work=South Australian Heritage Register | access-date=15 February 2016 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222221728/http://apps.planning.sa.gov.au/HeritageSearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=16291 | archive-date=22 February 2016 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>
* 9 Hutchison Street: Coober Pedy Catholic Church and Presbytery<ref>{{cite web | url=http://apps.planning.sa.gov.au/HeritageSearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=16290 | title=Coober Pedy Catholic Church & Presbytery | publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources | work=South Australian Heritage Register | access-date=15 February 2016 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222212456/http://apps.planning.sa.gov.au/HeritageSearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=16290 | archive-date=22 February 2016 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Amenities and services==
The Umoona Tjutagku Health Service Aboriginal Corporation was established in 2005 to provide health services for local Aboriginal people.<ref>{{cite web | title=Hohme | website=Umoona Tjutagku Health Service | url=https://www.uths.com.au/ | access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>

== Local media ==
Coober Pedy is home to the ''Coober Pedy Regional Times'', a free community publication released fortnightly since 15 March 2001.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.catalog.slsa.sa.gov.au/record=b1637410~S7|title=Coober Pedy regional times [newspaper: microform]|date=2001|publisher=Coober Pedy Regional Times|location=Coober Pedy, S. Aust}}</ref> Under a previous name, it had begun as a newsletter called the ''Coober Pedy Times'', which was first issued in August 1982,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.catalog.slsa.sa.gov.au/search~S7/t?Coober+Pedy+times|title=Coober Pedy times|access-date=2018-08-17}}</ref> itself continuing from a publication known as ''Opal Chips''.<ref name=":0" /> After some financial difficulties, the ''Times'' was bought by its editor, Margaret McKay,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://guides.slsa.sa.gov.au/c.php?g=410317&p=2796386|title=LibGuides: SA Newspapers: Far North|last=Laube|first=Anthony|website=guides.slsa.sa.gov.au|access-date=2018-08-17}}</ref> in 2006 and now includes online versions.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://cooberpedytimes.com/|title=Coober Pedy Regional Times|website=Coober Pedy Regional Times|access-date=2018-08-17}}</ref>

Coober Pedy is served by both local and national radio and television services. The government-owned [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] provides three broadcast radio stations — local radio [[ABC North and West SA|ABC North & West SA 106.1FM]] and the national networks [[Radio National|ABC Radio National 107.7FM]] and [[Triple J|Triple J 101.3FM]].

[[Community radio]] is provided by [[Indigenous Australians|indigenous]] broadcaster [[Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association|CAAMA Radio 102.9FM]] and Coober Pedy's own Dusty Radio 104.5FM. Commercial radio is provided by Flow FM 99.7.

Five broadcast television services operate in Coober Pedy: commercial stations [[Imparja Television]], [[QQQ|Southern Cross Central]] (now branded as Seven Central) and [[CDT (TV station)|10 Central]], and the government-owned [[ABC Television (Australian TV network)|ABC]] and [[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS]].

== Sport and recreation ==
The local golf course – mostly played at night with glowing balls, to avoid daytime heat – is completely free of grass, and golfers take a small piece of "turf" around to use for teeing off. As a result of correspondence between the two clubs, the [[Coober Pedy Golf Club]] is the only club in the world to enjoy reciprocal rights at [[The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Lane | first = James M. | title = Moon Living Abroad in Australia | year = 2008 | publisher = Seal Press | location = Berkeley, CA | page = [https://archive.org/details/livingabroadinau00lane/page/247 247] | isbn = 978-1-59880-139-2 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/livingabroadinau00lane/page/247 }}</ref>

The town also has an [[Australian rules football]] club, the Coober Pedy Saints, established in 2004, which competes in the [[Far North Football League]] (formerly the Woomera & Districts Football League). Due to the town's isolation, to play matches the Saints must make round trips of over {{convert|900|km|mi}} to [[Roxby Downs, South Australia|Roxby Downs]], where the rest of the league's teams are located.

The town has a [[Drive-in theater|drive-in theatre]]. It opened in 1965, but became less popular after 1980 with the arrival of television to the town, and ceased regular operation in 1984. It was re-opened in 1996,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.cooberpedydrivein.org.au/history.html|title=History of the Coober Pedy Drive-in|access-date=7 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-07/coober-pedy-opal-town-remote-drive-in-cinema/10917084 |title=Coober Pedy's desert drive-in cinema a feast for the eyes — and not just on-screen|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |author=Patrick Martin|date=7 April 2019|access-date=7 April 2019}}</ref> and with the closure of the Mainline Drive-in at [[Gepps Cross]] in February 2022,<ref>{{cite web | title=Adelaide's last suburban drive-in cinema, the Mainline, to close after more than 65 years| website=ABC News| publisher= [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] | date=22 November 2021 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-22/adelaide-last-drive-in-cinema-at-gepps-cross-to-close/100640132 | access-date=29 December 2021}}</ref> became the last drive-in in the state.<ref>{{cite web | title=About Us | website=Coober Pedy Drive-In Theatre | url=http://www.cooberpedydrivein.org.au/about-us.html  | access-date=22 May 2023}}</ref><ref name=sulda2023>{{cite web | last=Sulda | first=Dixie | title=Australia's drive-in culture fading to black as outdoor cinema numbers drop from 330 to just 15 venues |website=[[ABC News (Australia)]]| date=21 May 2023 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-21/drive-ins-decline-in-australia-due-to-land-value-and-video/102363192 | access-date=22 May 2023}}</ref>

==Art centre==
<!--redirect targets this section--->
A board for the Umoona Community Art Centre was established in 2021, but needs government funding to establish a permanent location in the town. A group of artists has joined the [[APY Art Centre Collective]], which helps to create employment opportunities for Indigenous artists in the region. An exhibition in the Adelaide gallery of the collective in September 2021 featured the work of 24 of these artists.<ref>{{cite web | last=Roberts | first=Georgia | title=Umoona Art Centre plan to fill 'major gap' and create opportunities in Coober Pedy - | website=ABC News| publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=9 October 2021 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-10/umoona-art-centre-needs-support/100517786 | access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>

== In philately ==
A rare exhibition [[cachet]], signed by Coober Pedy [[postmaster]] Alfred P. North, was discovered in [[Memphis, Tennessee]], by philatelist David Saks on 3 February 2016. To date, it is the only known example of this cachet in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://davidsaks.com/2016.02.01_arch.html#1455471505230|title=Jennifer Davison - The Royal Coober Pedy Historical Society | access-date = 14 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://davidsaks.com/2016.03.01_arch.html#1458538881779|last=Owens|first=David | title= Connecting Wynne to the World | access-date = 21 March 2016 |work=Wynne Progress}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
Both the town and its [[hinterland]], for different reasons, are photogenic and have attracted filmmakers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gluckman.com/CooberPedy.Australia.html|title=Home Under the Range|last=Gluckman|first=Ron|publisher=Ron Gluckman in Cyberspace|access-date=21 December 2008}}</ref> The town itself is the setting for several films, and its environment has also attracted movie producers. These include:

===Films===
* ''[[Fire in the Stone]]'' (1984)<ref name=rockwalk>{{cite web | title = Coober Pedy | publisher = RockWalk Park | url = http://www.rockwalkpark.com/htm2/cooberpedy.htm | access-date = 21 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050728121848/http://www.rockwalkpark.com/htm2/cooberpedy.htm|archive-date=28 July 2005}}</ref>
* ''[[Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome]]'' (1985)<ref name=rockwalk/><ref name=drivein/>
* ''[[Ground Zero (1987 film)|Ground Zero]]'' (1987)<ref name=rockwalk/>
* ''[[The Blood of Heroes]]'' (1989)<ref name=drivein/>
* ''[[Until the End of the World]]'' (1991)<ref name=rockwalk/><ref name=drivein/>
* ''[[Stark (TV series)|Stark]]'' (1993), a TV miniseries<ref name=rockwalk/><ref name=drivein>{{cite web | title=Movies Filmed in Coober Pedy | website=Coober Pedy Drive-In Theatre | url=http://www.cooberpedydrivein.org.au/movies-filmed-in-coober-pedy.html | access-date=14 May 2023}}</ref>
* ''[[The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Siam Sunset]]'' (1999)<ref name=rockwalk/><ref name=drivein/>
* ''[[Pitch Black (film)|Pitch Black]]'' (2000)<ref name=rockwalk/>
* ''[[Red Planet (film)|Red Planet]]'' (2000)<ref name=drivein/>
* ''[[Kangaroo Jack]]'' (2003)<ref name=drivein/>
* ''[[Opal Dream]]'' (2006)<ref name=drivein/>
* ''[[The Osiris Child: Science Fiction Volume One]]'' (2016)
* ''[[Instant Hotel#Season 2|Instant Hotel]]'' Season 2 (2018)<ref>[https://www.distractify.com/p/razz-and-mark-instant-hotel Razz and Mark's 'Instant Hotel' Is Like Staying at the Flintstones'] Distractify 20 April 2020</ref>
* ''[[Mortal Kombat (2021 film)|Mortal Kombat]]'' (2021)
* ''[[Stars on Mars]]'' (2023)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/05/coober-pedy-home-to-stars-on-mars-series.html|title= Coober Pedy home to Stars on Mars series |last=Knox|first=David|website=tvtonight.com.au|date= 2 May 2023 |access-date=5 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://7news.com.au/news/sa/coober-pedy-becomes-red-planet-in-stars-on-mars-c-10510563.amp |title= Coober Pedy becomes Red Planet in Stars On Mars|last=Hobday|first=Liz|website=7news.com.au|date= May 2023|access-date=5 May 2023}}</ref>
* ''[[Limbo (2023 film)|Limbo]]'' (2023)<ref>{{cite web | first= Penelope|last =Debelle | title=Coober Pedy provides a dramatic backdrop for new film Limbo | website=[[InDaily]] | date=12 May 2023 | url=https://indaily.com.au/inreview/film/2023/05/12/coober-pedy-black-magic/ | access-date=14 May 2023}}</ref>

===Video game===
* ''[[Forza Horizon 3]]''<ref>{{cite web | title=Environments, Landmarks, Weather | website=Forza Support | date=14 June 2021 | url=https://support.forzamotorsport.net/hc/en-us/articles/360005368393-Environments-Landmarks-Weather | access-date=14 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Concepcion | first=Miguel | title=Forza Horizon 3 Barn Find locations guide | website=gamesradar | date=14 April 2022 | url=https://www.gamesradar.com/forza-horizon-3-barn-find-locations-guide/ | access-date=14 May 2023}}</ref>

===Youtube===
We Travelled 10,000km to the World's Most
Remote Desert Pub - Cold Ones 2023

== Transport ==
[[File:Coober-Pedy-Oodnadatta-Mail-Truck.JPG|thumb|The mail truck to Oodnadatta, 2007]]

The town is served by daily coach services from Adelaide by [[Greyhound Australia]]. ''[[The Ghan]]'' train serves the town through the [[Manguri Siding]], {{convert|42|km|mi}} from Coober Pedy, which is served by trains once weekly in each direction. Passengers on ''The Ghan'' are not usually allowed to disembark at Manguri unless they have prearranged transport, due to the siding's isolation and the extremely low temperatures at night.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/site/travelinfo/qajsp.jsp |title=Q & A |website=[[Great Southern Rail (Australia)|Great Southern Railway]] |access-date=1 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411235456/http://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/site/travelinfo/qajsp.jsp|archive-date=11 April 2010}}</ref>

Coober Pedy is a gateway to the outback communities of [[Oodnadatta]] and [[William Creek]], which are both located on the [[Oodnadatta Track]]. There is a twice-a-week [[Coober Pedy Oodnadatta One Day Mail Run|mail run]] from Coober Pedy to these communities and other outback homesteads. It carries the mail, general freight and passengers.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.desertdiversity.com/mail.htm | title=The Mail Run Tour|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060503153324/http://www.desertdiversity.com/mail.htm|archive-date=3 May 2006}}</ref>

[[Rex Airlines]] also has direct flights to Adelaide, from [[Coober Pedy Airport]].

{{Adjacent stations|system=Journey Beyond|line1=The Ghan|left1=Alice Springs|right1=Adelaide|oneway-left1=yes|note-mid1=towards Adelaide only}}
{{Journey Beyond railway stations|The Ghan=y|state=collapsed}}

== See also ==
* [[Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}} 

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Coober Pedy}}
* {{wikivoyage-inline|Coober Pedy}}
* {{official|https://www.cooberpedy.com/}} 
*<!---Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/V2R8RXnWwg8 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20100529151710/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2R8RXnWwg8 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: --->{{Citation|website=[[National Geographic]]|title=Coober Pedy |date=27 November 2007|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2R8RXnWwg8|format=Video (3 minutes)}}{{cbignore}}
*{{Citation
  | author1=Miller, Bob.
  | title=Coober Pedy, South Australia, 1994
  | year=1994
  | section=Five photographs
  | publisher=[[National Library of Australia]]
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-143387270
  | via=[[Trove]]
}}

{{authority control}}
{{Man-made and man-related Subterranea}}

[[Category:Far North (South Australia)]]
[[Category:Mining towns in South Australia]]
[[Category:Underground cities]]