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Sign in with FacebookLatest Coober Pedy hotel reviews
Pro
An intriguing mining settlement where fortunes can still be made
Con
Can get very hot in summer
In a nutshell
A fascinating town with buried charms
iandsmith Says: The over-riding thing you'll see at Coober Pedy is piles of dirt. Lots of piles of dirt. More than you could ever imagine. In fact you'll see them before you get there and, if you're heading north, for over 40kms after the town.They're known as mullock heaps and "noodlers"...
iandsmith Says: I got to know one of the traders called Bill and, after a long conversation, he offered to take me out to his mine. Unfortunately, on the appointed day, his two co-workers were away at funerals so we ended up going to another mine.Initially Tellos wasn't home but he turned...
iandsmith Says: Cemeteries everywhere are a repository of history and information. One thing you'll learn here is that many of the original miners came from Greece, Croatia and Serbia, although the latter two were part of Yugoslavia at the time the emigrants left.Their efforts to leave...
iandsmith Says: This attraction was recommended to me by....another attraction (see Riba's). Though it costs I found it well worthwhile and definitely something to put on your itinerary.What's good about it is that it covers just about every aspect of mining life at Coober Pedy. It also...
iandsmith Says: So, if you went there in your car and didn't walk, the following pictures will give you and idea of what you missed. Walking will give 3 to 4 times the pleasure, I can't recommend it highly enough. To stand beside those buttes is a special feeling. The colours will astound....
iandsmith Says: Man sent a rocket to Mars. Astronomers were agog with the possibilities, scientists couldn't get to sleep wondering what it would be like on the surface.Thus it was that the pictures came back and everyone wanted to see them.However, people at Coober Pedy thought it was all...
iandsmith Says: There are those who might lead you to believe that Coober Pedy produces over 90 percent of all opal. This is more than slightly erroneous. In fact, the entire state of South Australia only produces 33%. New South Wales with places like Lightning Ridge dominate production in...
iandsmith Says: Just two days before I arrived in Coober Pedy a friend rang up and told me to visit The Breakaways. I'd never heard of them but, on his recommendation, I went out.Frankly, whenever I think of Coober Pedy now, The Breakaways immediately come to mind. It's a fairly well know...
iandsmith Says: The discoverer of opal in the area was someone called Will Hutchinson. Will was only 14 at the time and was along with his dad and others on a gold prospecting trip. He was looking for water and discovered both a few kilometres south of Coober Pedy.Tragically he never got...
iandsmith Says: Mining started in 1915, though on an amateur scale, and is still going on now, in a much more professional manner. If you'd like to give fossicking a try then head down to the Jeweller's Shop opal field or one of the others that offer such services. Even if you aren't lucky...
didgeridorien Says: These hills are about 35 km north of Coober Pedy, you'll have to buy a permit. One of the formations is called The Castle and it featured in Mad Max III and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. There's a road going in a loop past The Castle, The Dog Fence and...
66 Opinions
43 Opinions
Helpfulness
When I was last in Coober Pedy it didn't exactly tend towards fine dining....more in the Pizza restaurant and Pub Meal line....but I remember the pub meals were good, with huge chicken schnitzels....if only I could remember which pub....
But you won't go hungry - there are several places to eat.
Written Mar 11, 2003
Kate-Me Says: If you really want, you can fly into Coober Pedy these days. There are daily flights (probably departing from Adelaide). This will only save you a couple of days driving though and of course is much more expensive...
Kate-Me Says: For once, this time I'm recommending you DON'T try to drive yourself to this place (of course you can if you want...but..it's further away from anywhere than you think.)It's a good 850 kms north of Adelaide (and about another 850 south of Ayers Rock with only a small fuel...
(All over town): Opals, Opals, Opals
Kate-Me Says: Coober Pedy is THE place to buy opals, some Duty Free, but don't expect to find them cheap, unless it's some tiny trinket. Still, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Such beauty such as opal comes at a price. Depends on what you'd like to buy. A very impressive...
Helpfulness
The local Coober Pedy townspeople have a reputation for being very close lipped. Secrecy is like a religion here.
Locations of good opal finds are secrets which are jealously guarded and, in the past, disputes between miners or neighbours were often settled with dynamite....
It may sound like a lawless town, but don't worry, as a tourist I felt perfectly safe there.
The local community has always been quite ethnic - in the early 1990’s it was still a mix of over 40 different nationalities, including Italians, Greeks and Croatians, who have their own clubs/restaurants in the township.
The town has always had quite an isolated image, but that is slowly changing as more people are discovering this place and tourism becomes more and more important.
Updated May 19, 2003
littleman Says: Out in the desert there is nothing to break the wind (trees,etc).So the wind can become strong enough to affect your driving so becareful.I had seen one caravan blown off the road!
Lildeer Says: Signs in Coober Pedy forbid the usually jovial sport of running or walking backwards. Actually, it's quite serious. Due to haphazard opal mining all over town, there are unmarked mining shafts everywhere - and at seven stories down, you don't want to trip.
Helpfulness
Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: I'd pack normal stuff plus a good hat for the sun and some sunscreen. Nights can be cold so if you're going to be out and about (I can't imagine why, there's little night life) pack a sweater.
Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Best you bring with you what you need, as being a remote outback town, if you find what you want in Coober Pedy, you'll pay more for it.
Photo Equipment: Best to buy film at a more reasonable price before you get here.
Written Mar 12, 2003
Helpfulness
This gives an idea what it looks like down one of the opal mines. The shaft is sunk vertically, then you dig horizontally where possible, trying to follow the 'seam' of opal, if you find one.
On a tour, it's possible that you can go down certain working mines.
Written Sep 15, 2003
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Aptly named, Coober Pedy is Aboriginal for 'white man in a hole'. This is one small outback town where you quite literally have to scratch below the surface to discover it's true beauty. That...
Coober Pedy is the Opal capital of Australia, set in a rather dry, desolate and hostile environment. Coober Pedy comes from Kupa meaning 'white man' and Piti meaning 'hole'. It is translated from...
It was so weird the first time I came here in the summer of 1997. I'd heard that temperatures of 50 degrees C wasn't uncommon so I was rather surprised when I stepped off the bus and it was only 17......
Coober Pedy is Aboriginal for "white man in a hole," aptly describing the booming opal mining industry and underground housing developments that are ubiquitous there. A small outback town of treasure...
When I mentioned that I was going to stay at Coober Pedy on my travels I was asked * Why on earth are you staying there?* My answer was simple, because I want to see this Opal mining town up close. I...
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