20 Best Things to Do in Coober Pedy
Are you looking for the best things to do in Coober Pedy?
Located in the South Australian Outback, Coober Pedy is a small town far from most other towns. It is a common stopover from Adelaide to Alice Springs, and a place many opt to stop at on a loop of Australia due to the unique landscape and the fact that much of the town is underground.
Coober Pedy is known for its opals and visitors can tour opal mines, shop for opals, and even try to noodle for opals on their own.
Due to the temperatures in Coober Pedy, which can be in the 40s in the summer months, many of the homes and hotels are built into the earth. These dugouts remain much cooler inside than the temperature outside, and they do not even require air conditioning.
If you are wondering what exactly there is to do in Coober Pedy, keep reading to find the best experiences.
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Things to Do in Coober Pedy
Stay in an Underground Hotel
Coober Pedy is known for its dugouts and when you visit, you can stay at an underground hotel.
Whether you are looking to stay at an underground motel, an underground hostel, or even an underground campground, there are plenty of options in Coober Pedy.
There are even options for those who prefer to stay above ground but want to use the underground common areas of a Coober Pedy hotel.
Some Coober Pedy underground hotel options include:
- Radeka Down Under
- Comfort Inn, Coober Pedy Experience
- Desert Cave Hotel
- The Underground Motel
- Lookout Cave Underground Motel
Where to Stay in Coober Pedy with Kids
Tour an Opal Mine
Coober Pedy is known for its opal mines, and there are a few in town that you can tour.
Options for underground mine tours in Coober Pedy include:
Note that some of these tours are not open during the summer months. Be sure to check their website for the current schedule.
At Umoona Opal Mine, visitors can walk through the museum for free. Guided tours are offered at specific times every day except Tuesdays.
Tom’s Opal Mine has both guided tours and self-guided tours. Tom’s is pet-friendly. They offer noodling for free during open hours.
Old Timer’s Mine tends to be open even when the other opal mines are closed to visitors. They have a self-guided tour that includes a museum and an underground home.
The only way to go to an underground opal mine at night is to visit Riba’s Underground Camping Tours, as they offer only an evening guided tour.
Find more fun things to do in Coober Pedy at night.
Noodle for Opals
For those who are interested in trying to find their own opals, there are noodling options around Coober Pedy.
In addition to visiting Tom’s Opal Mine, there are piles of dirt brought in from opal mines and discarded at the edge of Coober Pedy.
Check out The Breakaways
Don’t miss the Breakaways, which are located about a 25-minute drive north of Coober Pedy.
Before you go, prepay for a pass to Kanku Breakaways Conservation Park either online, at Underground Books, or at the Coober Pedy Visitor’s Centre.
The road to The Breakaways is mostly unpaved. Sometimes, you will need a 4WD to make it there, though we were able to get there in a regular car.
While most of the journey to The Breakaways involves driving through them, there are a couple of stops where you can get out of your car and walk around.
Explore Crocodile Harry’s Underground Nest and Dugout
If you want to spend more time in an underground dugout or you want to view unique art, head to Crocodile Harry’s Underground Nest and Dugout.
We weren’t quite sure what to expect at Crocodile Harry’s, and when we arrived, it looked as though, despite there being a table set up with a meal, no one had been there in a long time.
A large dog was lying near the table, and there was a donation box on the counter.
We put some money in the box and began to wander around. For most of our visit, we were the only people there.
The dugout is set up as though someone is living there, though that is not true. People have been writing their names on the wall since the 1980s. Bring a Sharpie if you want to add yours.
Things to Do in Coober Pedy with Kids
Watch Big Winch 360 Cinematic Experience
In addition to being able to enjoy a meal at Big Winch 360, there is also a movie about the area.
Big Winch 360 is closed during the summer months, so if you are interested in visiting, make sure it will be open during your trip to Coober Pedy.
Admire the View From The Big Winch
You can see a 360-degree view of Coober Pedy from The Big Winch. It is a beautiful place to watch the sunset.
While you can walk up the hill, there is also a parking lot if you choose to drive. In addition to the Big Winch, there are other sculptures on the hill. Plus, there are binoculars.
Go Golfing
Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club offers a unique thing to do in Coober Pedy, with a golf course without grass.
They even say that many golfers have found opals while playing golf.
See the Big Items
Australia loves its big items, and 3 of them are located in Coober Pedy.
Find The Big Winch, The Big Miner, and The Big Goana, all located near each other in town.
Spot Wildlife
We saw an emu on our drive into Coober Pedy, and while we were there, we saw a wide variety of lizards.
Keep your eyes open, especially on the roads, as that is where we saw most of the wildlife near Coober Pedy.
Visit an Underground Church
There are multiple underground churches that visitors can walk into in Coober Pedy.
The largest underground church in Coober Pedy is the Serbian Orthodox Church. They have a box for donations outside the church and when we visited, no one else was there. We were able to walk in and around on our own.
Another underground church that we visited in Coober Pedy was the Catacomb Church. They do not ask for a donation, and the door is left open for anyone who wishes to visit. Toys are available in the back to keep kids occupied.
Swim
If your accommodations do not have a swimming pool, there is a community pool in Coober Pedy.
As the community pool is located at the school, it is closed during school hours.
Check out Josephine’s Gallery and Kangaroo Orphanage
Josephine’s Gallery is filled with Aboriginal art for sale, and in the yard, they have an orphanage for joeys and kangaroos.
There is a fee to see the kangaroos.
Take a Mail Run Tour
The mail-run tour runs twice a week and can take up to 4 passengers.
Join in and see how mail is delivered in the Outback to cattle stations and small towns. In addition to delivering mail, lunch is provided in an Outback pub.
Note that the roads are mostly unsealed.
Shop for Opals
As Coober Pedy is known for its opals, it is not hard to find a place to shop for opals. Just about everywhere in Coober Pedy has opals for sale.
In addition to the underground mines, here are a few shops where you can browse for opals.
- Opalios
- Opal Direct
- John and Yoka’s Opals and Art
- Opals on Hutchinson
Enjoy an Outback Meal
Maybe it is just funny for me because, as an American, I grew up eating at Outback Steakhouse, an Australian-themed restaurant.
Either way, check out Outback Bar and Grill for delicious pub food. I had the Greek salad with chicken, and it was delicious, as was my husband’s chicken schnitzel and the kid’s spaghetti bolognese.
Eat a One-of-a-Kind Pizza
John’s Pizza Bar and Restaurant has a large menu filled with a variety of pizzas and pastas as well as wine and beer.
Sure, you can order your favorite pizza, but they also have the option to order native pizzas, which include both emu and kangaroo.
If you are looking for something different and unique to Coober Pedy, try the native pizza selection at John’s.
Drink with the Locals
Coober Pedy has a few bars, most of which are closed by 9 pm. The only location opened late in Coober Pedy is the Italo-Australian Miners Club, which stays open until 1 am on Friday nights.
Other places that offer drinks in Coober Pedy include:
- Outback Bar and Grill
- John’s Pizza Bar and Restaurant
- Opal Inn Saloon Bar
- Oliver’s Bar and Restaurant
- Desert Cave Hotel Bar
Walk the Well-Being Labyrinth
Walk away your stress at the well-being labyrinth.
Check out a Spaceship
Used in movies, a spaceship is located in Coober Pedy.
Things to Do in Coober Pedy Wrap-Up
As you can see, there are lots of fun things to do in Coober Pedy.
While you are in Coober Pedy, it is almost certain that you will spend some time underground. You may be staying in an underground hotel or visiting an underground opal mine. You may even visit an underground church.
Still, there are plenty of things to do above ground in Coober Pedy, including playing a round of golf, noodling for opals, and driving out to The Breakaways.
No matter what you opt for, there are plenty of fun things to do in Coober Pedy.
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