The rainbow flash of opal, underground homes, easy-going lifestyle and the mystery of the dusty lunar landscape make Coober Pedy a unique and special place.
An "underground" town where you could arrive with just the shirt on your back and leave a millionaire; Coober Pedy holds a fascination for visitors from all over the world.
Tour the town, hear about its history, about our precious water supplies and power generation. Every element of life is hard-won in Coober Pedy.
On the Desert Cave Tour you visit
Departs : Daily, from the Desert Cave Hotel
Time/Duration : 4 hours approx
For those who want to experience the thrill of digging for a fortune, this tour offers a comprehensive hands-on opportunity.
The 4-hour tour includes:
The Quest mine offers ease of access with ramps into the mine
Departs: on application
Duration: 4 Hours
Fossick for your own gem! Transportation to and from the opal fields is provided on request.
FREE OF CHARGE
Departs : on request, available 7 days. Daylight hours only.
Time/Duration : suggested 2-4 hours
The Desert Cave Hotel has a colourful and informative underground display centre open from 7am to 7pm. Entry is FREE to this interesting display. Wander sandstone passages to learn about Coober Pedy, past and present. Information includes historical Coober Pedy, formation and mining of opal and visual displays of the unique outback landscape.
FREE OF CHARGE
Time/Duration : Daily 7am to 7pm
A one day 4WD tour to the spectacular breakaway country of the Painted Desert (Arckaringa Hills).The Painted Desert is an area of spectacular colourful hills that Mother Nature has taken 80 million years to create. Sediments originally laid down by the ancient inland sea have eroded away over time. This erosion, combined with the leaching of minerals from the soil, create this magical area whose colours change during the day, making it a photographer's delight
To get there, Desert Diversity Tours leaves the world-famous Opal mining town of Coober Pedy, past the last of the underground homes and through the Dingo Fence (the worlds longest structure). We travel over an area that was once the ancient inland sea bed, but today is commonly known as the Moon Plains.
This area is a very important marine-fossil bed that has become of great interest to palaeontologists since the recent discovery, by the operators of Desert Diversity Tours, of the partial backbone of a 5-6 meter long Ichthyosaur (ancient marine reptile) which swam in the ancient sea 120 million years ago.
See some of the vast cattle stations of the Outback, bush walk through the Painted Desert, experience the beauty of Outback landscapes and waterholes. Learn about the Great Artesian Basin, the early explorers and the pastoral industry. Morning/afternoon tea & lunch are supplied.
Departs: on application
Time : 9 hours
Join your guide for a trip out to the spectacular Breakaways for Sunset. Savour a glass of champagne as the rich colours of the outback become even more vivid. Enjoy sharing a sumptuous cheese and antipasto platter. Just because you are in the Outback doesn't mean you have to rough it.
This tour gives the opportunity to:
