It is surprising to find miners living underground, coming up with numerous and fascinating ways to live, always dreaming of new ways to seek shelter. While animals are happy with what they have, humans leave it clear that they don’t conform with only four walls and a ceiling, whether big or small houses, elaborate mansions or floating residences.
North of Adelaide, 690 km south of Alice Springs, in the red hot lowlands of South Australia; smack dab in the middle of a blazing red dust desert a miner town can be found, surrounded by large excavation machines. However, there are hotels, churches, restaurants, businesses, families and art galleries under the red floor!
Originally settled as an opal miner town, Cooperpedy is now home to almost 2000 people. But judging by the flawless landscape, you’d never be able to guess what hides below in spite of the high temperatures and the endless horizon with no trees: A thriving town entirely underground.
Many people have permanently settled in Cooperpedy, living a normal life in artificial tunnels filled with furniture, just like a regular house, with many available rooms for the visitors to stay in during their trip through this impressive scenario. Not far from the surface, these houses are truly unique, and offer exactly the same amenities as many normal houses nowadays.
It all started in the year 1915, when a father and his son reached these lands searching for gold; but they found opal instead, which quickly became a very popular Stone abroad. However, due to the high temperatures, the miners found it easier to seek shelter inside the mines, rather than living on the ground.
Then the miners started digging tirelessly, until the result turned into what today is known as CooperPedy. Their two and three story houses carved in the rock, form a circle around a central patio, giving shape to the community life. There are in total 700 of these holes which, in theory, were dug because construction material was running low and the rock was really soft.
The lack of Wood for building could have been the reason why the Underground Dwellings carved in the soft pink sandstone, are more than simple holes in the ground; since the last tree in Cooperpedy disappeared in 1971, even though the main goal is to escape the heat. The summer temperatures can reach 50°C in the desert surface, while in the underground houses it keeps at a steady 25°C.
Now, this underground town, is the main opal provider in the whole world; equally famous for its subterranean refuge as well as its precious stones, and according to the original term, the name of the city means “White man hole”.
ALFA