Do people still live underground in Coober Pedy?

Today, around 60% of Coober Pedy’s 3,500 locals live underground. Coober Pedy’s origins lie underground, too. About 100 years ago, a teenager discovered a piece of opal in the area. From there, miners flocked to the region, and soon enough, the town of Coober Pedy – the world’s largest source for opals – was born.

Does Coober Pedy have underground homes?

Coober Pedy is the largest opal producing center in Australia with a population of between 3000 and 4000. Underground space has been developed within the town generally by excavating laterally into hillsides. By this method a hotel, a Church, and hundreds of homes have been built underground.

Is all of Coober Pedy underground?

Residents spend a lot of time in holes—that’s where 80 percent of them live. Most of Coober Pedy is a subterranean community built into underground shelters called “dugouts” where the temperature stays a cool 75 degrees even on the hottest days.

What are the disadvantages of living in Coober Pedy?

Living in Coober Pedy is challenging due to the scorching temperatures. Many of the houses are underground to escape the blistering heat. It is hot and dry, and you need to travel quite a distance for anything more than the basics offered in the town’s main street.

Are there any people living in the Coober Pedy underground homes?

Luckily there is a lovely caretaker couple living in her Coober Pedy underground home. And even though it is a private residence visitors are welcome. Faye’s is the only Coober Pedy underground home open to all visitors that is actually lived in.

How big are the tunnels in Coober Pedy?

The soil in the Coober Pedy hillside is stable enough to allow huge ceiling spans in rooms and it is not unusual for a mining family to buy an adjoining property and tunnel to link two dwellings, or even three or four. Some mansion style homes spread up to 450 square metres underground.

What’s the weather like in Coober Pedy Australia?

The cave-dwellers of Coober Pedy enjoy a constant, cool temperature of around 74 degrees Fahrenheit in their homes, making life underground the standard for desert comfort. Residents carve what they need from the sandstone of their homes, which boast bookshelves, tables, and even an underground swimming pool.

How are dugout homes built in Coober Pedy?

Most dugout homes are excavated into hillsides rather than dug from shafts. The soil in the Coober Pedy hillside is stable enough to allow huge ceiling spans in rooms and it is not unusual for a mining family to buy an adjoining property and tunnel to link two dwellings, or even three or four.