'White Man in a Hole'

The baking heat of the Australia outback can be known to force people indoors but not usually underground... unless you live in Coober Pedy. The majority of locals in this South Australian town reside in underground "dugout" homes - a tradition originating from the opal mining industry for which the town is most famous. The name Coober Pedy originates from the Aboriginal words 'kupa piti' meaning 'white man in a hole'. This subterranean style of living results in constant mild temperatures without the need for air conditioning. But this is just one of the unique features of the town of Coober Pedy.

Stone mad for golf

For the golfer bored with lush greens and sea views Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Course boasts a unique experience: a grassless course. The club also has the exclusive privilege of sharing reciprocal playing rights with the Balgove Course in Scotland, which is part of the elite St. Andrew's Link Trust.



Meet the Joeys

Tourists in Australia are bombarded with chances to hold a koala or pat a kangaroo. This usually comes with an entrance fee and expensive photo opportunity but that's not the case in Coober Pedy. At Josephine's Galley and Kangaroo Orphanage Terry and his wife run an art shop and a kangaroo sanctuary in their back garden. Terry is very unassuming and modest about the work they do. However, the reputation of the centre has grown and the couple have been woken on nights with people on their doorstep with injured kangaroos. Terry nurses these animals back to full health with a typically laidback Aussie attitude, smoking his cigarette and chatting happily with tourists as he feeds the baby roos. The really unique point is that admission to these feeding times is free. However, the sanctuary does run on donations and for $20 you can donate a tin of kangaroo feed and be immortalised on their wall of signed tin lids.
 

Raise your glass

The local graveyard emphasises the uniqueness of the local community, whilst also showcasing the Aussie brand of irreverent humour, including one beer keg headstone with the epitaph 'Have a drink on me'.