Much of the town’s treasures – like its opal – can be found underground. Local organised tours or your own walking tour can be organised through the Visitor Centre.

Here is just a taste of what’s on offer…Take a true DownUnder trip into a “dugout” home – made by mining families – with some more like mansions, covering 450 square metres. More than half of the town’s families live underground, where temperatures are maintained at a pleasant 23-25 degrees C throughout the year.

There are underground churches and art galleries too – plus the award-winning Desert Cave Hotel, the world’s first 4-star luxury property of its type, complete with mining display and opal gallery.

The historic Old Timers Mine – hand-dug in 1916, features a self-guided walk through tour of display galleries, two underground homes and precious seams of opal, while the Umoona Mine & Museum contains an underground house, Aboriginal interpretive centre, panoramic theatre, historic displays, opal retailing shop and showroom plus Aboriginal arts and crafts.

And if you like to buy opals, you’ll find the world’s largest displays in Coober Pedy. You can also enquire at the Visitor Centre how to ”noodle” through permitted mine areas to seek your own gemstones.

Come and see for yourself!

Local Attractions

Big Winch Lookout

This 8m high structure which overlooks the town was built by Klaus Wirries in the 1970’s to celebrate the Opal…

Boot Hill

Interesting tombstones dating from the early 1970’s including a 18 gallon beer keg for Mr Karl Bratz, “Have a drink…

Centenary Mosaic Garden

The mosaic garden in front of the Lions rotunda was created by members of the Coober Pedy Mosaic Group. The…

Coober Pedy Drive In

One of the last surviving drive-ins in Australia. Built in 1965 it has been a central part of community gatherings,…

Coober Pedy Historical Society

Maintained by a dedicated group of Coober Pedy local volunteers, the Historical Society has an extensive collection of memorabilia -…

Coober Pedy Renewable Hybrid Project

Coober Pedy relied mainly on diesel-fired generators to provide electricity. Energy Developments has built, owns and operates the Coober Pedy…

Crocodile Harry

Avid von Blumenthal was a baron from Latvia who fought for Germany in WWII. He came to Australia where he…

John McDouall Stuart Monument

John McDouall Stuart (7 September 1815 – 5 June 1866) was the most accomplished and most famous of all Australia’s…

Kanku Breakaways & Dog Fence

Kanku – Breakaways Conservation Park is Aboriginal owned and the entire park is a registered aboriginal heritage site. It lies…

Noodling & Mining

Noodling area open to the public. Check with the Department of Mines & Energy on areas to noodle. If you…

Opal Fields

The Coober Pedy Opal Fields are pitted with abandoned prospecting drill holes up to 30m deep. Estimated over 1,500,000 open…

Underground Churches

Serbian Orthodox Church Church of Saint Elijah the Prophet is the Serbian Orthodox church in Coober Pedy, South Australia, built…

Wind Turbine Generator

The Nordex Wind Turbine Generator was installed in 1991 and supplied around 4% of the town’s power supply. This was…

View the Tours & Attractions Guide