Backpacking Coober Pedy and The Outback
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YOU WILL FIND SO MANY UNIQUE EXPERIENCES IN THIS PLACE: Photo - Adam Bruzzone, courtesy South Australian Tourism Commission
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YOU CAN SEE HOW PEOPLE LIVE IN THE HARSH ENVIRONMENT: Photo - Milton Wordley, courtesy South Australian Tourism Commission
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EXPLORE SOME MAGNIFICENT AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK LANDSCAPES: Photo - Chris Otto, courtesy South Australian Tourism Commission
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Coober Pedy and The Outback Highlights
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Great place to see the real outback Australia and have an adventure like no other.
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Visit Josephine's Gallery & Kangaroo Orphanage to see one of South Australia's largest regional Aboriginal Art Galleries with works from both world renowned and local artists. You can also visit the kangaroo orphanage.
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Learn about the town's fascinating history at the Umoona Opal Mine & Museum.
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Do some fossicking for opals.
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See some of the unique underground housing and structures.
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Visit the Breakaways, which are a spectacular example of arid scenery, where over 70 million years ago was an inland sea.
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Witness the Moon Plain, a vast expanse of rocky plains that looks like a lunar landscape.
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Take one of the organised tours available to see some of the fascinating local attractions.
About Coober Pedy and The Outback
The Outback
The outback is a remote and desolate place and the landscapes were created millions of years ago. It is a great place to have an adventure like no other.
The South Australian Outback starts north of the Eyre Peninsula and the Flinders Ranges. The area is sparsely populated and can often be difficult to travel to unless you are well prepared or on a tour. If you are doing it yourself, you should contact the Desert Parks Hotline 1800 816 078 or the Port Augusta Information Centre (08) 8641 0793 or 1800 633 060 for information on travelling here. Note: you will need permits to enter certain areas.
One well-known town that sits right in the middle of the Outback is Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy
Population 4,000
This is an opal mining town and because the climate can be so extreme here, half the population lives in underground dugouts to escape high temperatures in summer.
It's a fascinating place to visit, and a must-do if you are planning to travel the outback, as there is so much to see and do.
You can try your luck at fossicking for opals at various spots around town, get a great insight into the history of Coober Pedy at the Old Timers Mine and Museum, or you can take a tour of the town to see some of the underground homes and opal mines.
There are also some spectacular landscapes nearby; including the Moon Plain and the Breakaways. Several well known movies have been filmed in these landscapes; including, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, Ground Zero, Pitch Black and Red Planet.
Orientation Map for Coober Pedy
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