3229 kb - District Council of Coober Pedy

General Introduction
“Gems of Coober Pedy” has been prepared for visitors and newcomers to Coober Pedy
because there is just SOOO much more to our wonderful town than is immediately obvious. It has, on many occasions been described as a place of ‘magic, mystery & hope.’
Your free 36 page coloured Coober Pedy Guide will assist you to discover the many local
attractions, but if you also have chat to some of our friendly
locals, you’ll find they’ve got great stories to share also.
Coober Pedy is an opal mining town located in the outback of South Australia and is recognised as the largest producer of opal in the world.
It is situated within the erosional scarp of the Stuart Range which is generally stony and
treeless. The town is surrounded by a moonscape like landscape dotted by shafts and
mullock heaps from opal mining activities.
Coober Pedy was discovered in 1915 by Willie Hutchison the youngest member of a gold prospecting party which was desperately looking for water at the time.
The 14 year old had disobeyed orders and strayed from camp to
search for water in the surrounding foothills.
When he finally returned after dark, although exhausted he wore a
huge grin on his face and his eyes were brightly lit. Willie had not
only located a waterhole, he also had a sugar bag full of Opal to show
his much relieved father and crew.
(see picture to left: Mr Willie Hutchinson)
Due to its remoteness, only a handful of miners worked here in the early years. The first
rush took place in 1919 yet there weren't any visiting buyers before 1920.
During this period, massive amounts of Opal were produced and the population swelled
to a few hundred. The harsh climate & lack of water, which often had to be recycled
many times before being discarded, was always a problem. The situation was so critical
that the Government built a 2,000,000-litre tank in 1924 which partly solved the problem,
allowing water to be rationed at 110 litres per person per week.
" Coober Pedy suffered during the Depression years when opal
prices bottomed out. The discovery of the Eight Mile field in 1945 by
Toddy Bryant, an Aboriginal woman, caused a great sensation. Her
discovery of Opal within 20 centimetres of the surface was a turning
point in the history of the field and went a long way towards establishing Coober Pedy's future prosperity. " - Len Cram
Opal Mining
The mining industry at Coober Pedy expanded rapidly during the 1960's. Many European
migrants arriving in Australia made their way to Coober Pedy, with the same dream as
others alike “to make their fortunes!!”. Today it lays claim to being one of the most ethnic
communities in South Australia, indeed Australia, with approximately 45 nationalities being represented.
Coober Pedy, Andamooka and Mintabie, produce over 90%
in quantity of the world's opal. During the 60's and 70's
opal mining developed as a multi million dollar industry.
Major working areas and famous mines include:
German Gully, Black Flag and Benitos Folly South-East of
town, Olympic and Southern Cross to the West-South-West. Zorba, Larkins Folly, Hellenic
Hill and Russos Folly (15km) East of town. Hans Peak, 8 Mile, 10 Mile, Greek Gully, 14
Mile, 17 Mile and Shell Patch (35km) moving North-West of town in that order.
See below a map of the Coober Pedy Opal Fields
Opal workings now extend for nearly
40 kilometres around the township.
Once off the bitumen, roads are rough and
dusty, often impassable after heavy rain.
Pre-historic Coober Pedy
In recent years Coober Pedy has become a further curiosity
as one of Australia’s most important prehistoric fossil sites
in Australia. “In the Footsteps of Time”, the first permanent
offsite display of a fossil collection from the SA Museum,
was opened in 2000 at the Umoona Opal Mine and Museum in Coober Pedy.
The two species date back 115 millions years as being the
last of the prehistoric marine creatures known to survive
the ice age. The great inland sea declined and created the miracle of opal and the GREAT ARTESIAN BASIN. It is now thought that the sea itself was once a breeding ground for prehistoric marine creatures and holds vital evidence as to what created the last demise of planet earth.
There is undeniable evidence in the aftermath of the subsided seas that massive icebergs swept
across South Australia many millions of years ago. The only legacy from this era is the existence of
the spectacular inland salt lakes like Lake Eyre and smaller remnants, which are frequented by
visitors to the area.
The magnificent and vast Moon Plain is a mass of polished and other interesting rocks which are
native to the Gawler and Flinders ranges. When the original Inland Sea subsided it created that
which we now know as the Great Artesian Basin.
Coober Pedy Today
Coober Pedy today represents a unique and comfortable lifestyle for its residents centred around
the activities of opal mining and tourism. The township of Coober Pedy has underground
churches, shops & accommodation. Many of the locals live underground in dugouts where it is
cool in summer and warm in winter—generally averaging 23 degrees Celsius inside all year round.
Coober Pedy has an area school that caters for children from pre-school to Year 13. There are
many sporting clubs to cater for the many differing interests including swimming, basketball, football, cricket, 8-ball, soccer, lawn bowls, motor club, rifle club and netball. There is also an RSL
Club, Lions Club and numerous ethnic clubs.
Coober Pedy is the only large town in the far north of South Australia which has a fully fledged
District Council. It is a central base for PIRSA operations (SA
Minerals and Mining Department); It has a Centrelink office,
Post Office with online banking facilities, Westpac Bank,
Families SA office, Coober Pedy Area School with a public library & swimming pool; Child Care Services and Kindergartens,
an interstate airport; bus terminal and nearby rail.
These services have enhanced the opportunities of the offspring of the original pioneers of the Coober Pedy mining town
but have not detracted from the uniqueness of the town itself.
Water Supply
Town water comes from a 60 meter deep artesian bore located 23kms north east and is the 5th
best quality of water in the nation. Travelers can fill up with drinking water at the northern end of
the main street at a water dispenser for just 20cents for each 30 liters.
Population
Coober Pedy's population is principally European with a high proportion of persons born overseas
migrating here after World War II from southern and Eastern Europe. The majority of these people
work on the opal fields of Coober Pedy and are from non-English speaking countries. There are
more than 45 nationalities represented in town and whilst many of their children are Australian
born, there is a strong adherence to their cultural backgrounds, norms, values and expectations.
Approximately 400 Aboriginal people live here as well, many more are transient to the area from
surrounding communities.
The population is estimated to be around 3,500 with 150,000 plus visitors each year.
Outback Location
Coober Pedy is situated 845 kilometres north of Adelaide and 690 kilometres south of Alice Springs.
Prior to 1987 when the Stuart Highway was completely sealed, Coober Pedy was serviced by small
planes or long horrendous trips up and down the old dirt road. Today Regional Express Airlines run
a 5 day service from Adelaide; 1 coach company services Coober Pedy.
Climate
Between April and October the weather is very pleasant and typical of a semi desert climate with
sunny days but cold desert nights. From November to March the weather warms up and temperatures during summer range from 35 degrees Celsius to 48 degrees Celsius in the shade (Average
Winter & Summer temperatures from the Bureau of Meteorology) . The annual rainfall in this area
is minimal at around 175 mm (5 inches) per annum.
Geography
Coober Pedy is situated on the edge of the Stuart Range on beds of sand and silt stone 100 feet
thick, topped with a stony desert that is nearly treeless. Very little plant life exists due to low rainfall. The sandstone makes it very difficult to grow anything.
The Breakaways
The Breakaways are colourful low hills which have broken away from the Stuart Range, hence the
name and they are famous for spectacular.
The Moon plain
The Moon Plain is a vast expanse of rocky plains unlike anywhere else—except Mars, that is.
The Dog Fence
The Dog Fence is the longest continual construction in the world. Stretching some 5,300km, it begins east of Surfer's Paradise in Queensland and ends up north of Ceduna in the Great Australian
Bite. Originally built to protect the sheep country in the south from the Dingo (native Australian
dog) in the north.
Native Wildlife
The main native wildlife found around the Coober Pedy area are kangaroos, wallabies and emus.
There are sand goannas, bearded dragons, geckos and perentie lizards. Dingoes are found outside
the dog fence. There are about 28 varieties of bird life such as eagles, bustards or bush turkeys,
budgerigars, galahs, parrots and finches to name a few. Some pelicans and black swans can be
found on nearby lakes after rain.
Industry and Income
The local economy centres around opal mining, tourism, primary production and support services.
The majority of the population are dependent on the opal mining and tourism industries.
The remainder of the population are employed in the isolated areas as property managers and
workers, railway workers, highway workers and other government employees.
Coober Pedy is quickly becoming the regional service centre of Outback South Australia, being the
focus for essential services such as medical, health, welfare, law and order, education and leisure.
Opal mining is a gamble and without luck, it is possible for a miner to go for months, or longer,
without an income from opal mining. Fortunately with the increase in demands caused by the
tourism industry, additional employment may be available to supplement the income. The opal
mining industry has seen its highs and lows and with the recent Global Financial Crisis the future
of the opal mining industry may be brighter with a bit of luck and good fortune.
Movies made in Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy has a diverse and unique terrain, subject to an atmospherically changing landscape
causing its popularity as a sought after location by local and international film companies, with
high profile movie credits including:
The unusual landscape lends itself as a con1984 Mad Max 3 Beyond Thunderdome – Mel Gibson, Tina Turner
1984 Fire In The Stone – Alan Cassell,
stant port of call for local and overseas ad1984 Where The Green Ants Dream – Bruce Spence, Ray Barrett
vertising campaigns and documentaries
1987 Ground Zero – Jack Thompson, Donald Pleasance
who are attracted to locations such as the
1989 Salute of the Jugger – Rutger Hauer, Joan Chen
1991 Until The End Of The World – William Hurt, Ernie Dingo, Sam Neill nearby Painted Desert, The Breakaways,
1993 Stark – Colin Friels, Ben Elton, Bill Hunter
The Moon Plain and of course the Opal
1994 Priscilla Queen of the Desert– Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce
1999 Siam Sunset – Linus Roache, Henry Sveps
Fields which bear strong resemblance to a
2000 Red Planet – Val Kilmer, Carrie-Ann Moss
Lunar Moonscape. Overseas choirs / or2000 Pitch Black – Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell
chestras have recorded CDs in under2003 Kangaroo Jack – Dyan Cannon, Bill Hunter
2004 Opal Dream – Vince Colosimo, Jacqueline McKenzie (2006)
ground mines here.
2005 “Stranded With Cash Peters” – USA Travel Channel
What’s On at the Drive In/ Open Air Cinema?
Check out the local supermarkets’ notice boards,
Visitor Information Centre or Regional Newspaper for details.
The Open Air Cinema is located on Hutchinson—see your town map.
Opal - our precious Gem.
Opal is a form of silica, chemically similar to quartz, but containing water within the molecular structure. Precious opal generally contains from 6-10% water and consists of small silica spheres arranged in a regular pattern.
Opal occurs in two varieties, precious opal and common opal (also known as potch)
Colour in precious opal is caused by the regular array of silica spheres diffracting white light and
breaking it up into the various colours of the spectrum. The diameter and spacing of the spheres
controls the colour range. Opal colours also depend on the angle of light incidence and can change
or disappear when the gem is rotated.
In common opal or potch, the silica spheres are irregular in shape and molecular structure and accordingly white light is unable to be diffracted and consequently there is no colour.
Attempts have been made to establish guidelines for determining opal prices but they have been
largely unsuccessful because of the gem's infinite variation in colour and pattern.
The main factors influencing the price paid for opal are:
Base colour:
black opal is more valuable than crystal opal which in turn is more
valuable than the white or milky opal.
Dominant colour: red-fire opal is generally more valuable than a predominantly green opal,
which in turn is more valuable than a stone showing only blue colour.
Colour pattern: harlequin opal, where the colour occurs in defined patches, is generally
more sought after and valuable than pin fire opal where the colour is in
small specks.
The 'Olympic Australis' from Coober Pedy is said to be the world's largest piece of uncut precious
opal and weighs 3.5 kilograms. Its name comes from the fact the piece was found in 1956, the year
the Olympic Games were held in Melbourne, Australia
There is a marked difference between the value of uncut opal compared with the value of cut and
polished stones. Opals may be cut and polished in a number of ways, depending on the nature and
thickness of the colour band.
Solid (Cabochon) Refers to all opals that naturally occur
in one piece having been cut and polished from rough
opal.
Doublet: A thin veneer of opal may show enhanced colour with a dark backing. This is achieved by cementing
either black or grey silica material, glass or a thin slice of
common opal to the back of the opal with an epoxy
resin.
Triplet: To protect the opal from abrasion, a slice of
quartz crystal may be used to cap the thin opal veneer
producing a three-tiered gemstone known as a triplet.
This type of gem can display brilliant colours. It is a
cheaper method of presentation and can enhance the
appearance of the opal.
Mining Opal
Miners, with a Mining Permit, can peg a claim either 50m x
50m or 50m x I00m to mine for opal. The earlier form of mining was by sinking or digging a shaft with a pick and shovel.
Driving or tunnelling along the level was then carried out with
picks and shovels. When traces of opal were found a handpick or screwdriver was used.
Nowadays most if not all prospecting shafts are made by using a Calwell-type drill which are used to excavate holes
about one metre in diameter using an auger bucket The drills
can dig to a maximum depth of about 28 to-30 metres and
the opal fields are pitted with thousands of abandoned Calwell shafts.
Waste material or mullock, from the shafts and drives, was originally lifted to the surface
by hand windlass, later being replaced by power winches (Yorke hoists) or automatic
bucket tippers. Today truck-mounted blowers, which operate like vacuum cleaners, are
more commonly used for bringing mullock to the surface.
Since the 1970's, there has been a rapid increase in the use of mining machines. Tunnelling machines with revolving cutting heads and small underground front-end loaders,
called boggers, have been introduced.
Bulldozers are employed to remove overburden and expose the level where it is shallow
and excavators scrap down the wall surface of the open cut pit. Checkers follow behind
watching for opal and the seam is then worked over by handpick.
All opal fields have restricted entry. Access is best obtained with your local tour guides.
Great care must be taken on the opal fields due to the thousands of open shafts. NEVER
step backwards.
Noodling
This is the process of searching through heaps of discarded mullock for pieces of opal
missed by the miners. Many locals
make a living off this method and it
is popular with tourists. Permission
must be obtained from the claim
owner to fossick on his/her claim.
The most productive heaps are
those excavated by bulldozers
where opal may have been crushed
or overlooked by operators. Noodling machines, in which mullock is
passed through a darkroom on a
conveyor belt beneath ultra violet
lights are also used, and this is another form of mining.
Most residents live underground...in dugouts
Miners soon realised that the temperatures underground were far better during the heat of
the summer and cold of the winter. So, it was not long before the miners decided to camp
underground in their mines. These original basic dwellings have now developed to a point
where luxurious underground homes, known as dugouts, have been planned and built.
The ground out of which these underground homes are excavated is known as sandstone.
Have you already seen strange looking pipes sticking out of the ground and hills around
town? When you see them, it tells you that underneath, there’s a home! It is said that dugout living began in Coober Pedy when soldiers returned from the trenches of France in
1918. The temperature in dugouts varies only about 5o all year round (21o-26oC) whilst
outside it can be 45oC+in the summer and as cool as 4oC on winter evenings.
Front yards often store mining equipment as there are no ‘backyards’. Entrances may be
very basic but often lead into dugouts providing luxury living with all the mod-cons and
décor of above ground homes. One family found so much opal whilst digging their dugout,
they now have 13 bedrooms and their opal finds more than paid for their home!
Where else, but in Coober Pedy!!
Town planning in the early days of Coober Pedy was lacking and accordingly development in the town was very disorganised. However these planning problems have been
corrected and now the whole town area of Coober Pedy has been surveyed and divided
up into building blocks or allotments, all numbered with roads and streets being named.
The blocks of land were originally owned by the Government but over the years freehold
ownership has superseded this. Today land is held by freehold ownership, leasehold ownership or if outside the town area by annual lease.
To commence building a dugout one has to acquire a suitable block of land. All dugouts
are excavated from the inside of a natural hill so the block must contain at least part of a
natural hill. Once the block of land has been purchased, the owner will get a bulldozer to
come in and cut away the lower part of the hill to expose a vertical ‘face’.
The owner of the land is able to design the floor plan of the dugout according to the
amount of land available. No two dugouts in Coober Pedy are the same. To commence
digging the owner will contract the tunnelling work to either a miner or contractor with a
tunnelling machine. This machine is similar in size to a bobcat but it has an arm at the
front with a rotating cutting heading which moves up and down digging out ground. The
excavated area is similar in size to a normal passageway in a house.
The cost to excavate a dugout can vary from between $20,000 to $120,000 depending on
the area to be excavated. Once completely excavated, the next job is to install plumbing
pipes, electrical wiring and then put down a cement floor which is later carpeted or tiled.
In dugouts you will always find the ‘wet areas’ (bathrooms, laundries, toilets and kitchens)
at the front of the development to allow for ease of disposal of waste water and sewerage
(by gravity feed).
Dividing walls in dugouts are much thicker than a normal aboveground house and this is
necessary to provide support pillars between the rooms. These pillars are usually at least
a metre thick or more.
Lighting is either by natural or artificial lights with air circulation provided by installing air
shafts throughout the dugout. This will cause a natural circulation of air; warm air rises out
through the shafts facilitating a constant flow of fresh air.
Families living in underground homes have all the modern conveniences of normal houses.
The constant underground temperature of 23-25 degrees means we do not need to use airconditioners or heaters. We have telephones, television, radio and the internet. We are not
isolated from the outside world at all.
Council rates are levied against all residences in Coober Pedy based upon their value. The
average value of an underground home these days would be approximately $80,000 to
$250,000, which is quite affordable when you consider most are very large homes.
Coober Pedy is a most unique and interesting place to visit and the underground style of
living, shopping, worshipping and dining contributes greatly to that uniqueness.
An example of one underground home
(Faye’s Underground Home, Coober Pedy)