Opals Galore

---

The first thing we did today was hit an old opal mine and watched a video from circa 1992 about the history of opals, we were then shown how the stone is cut followed by being taken into the actual mine.


In Coober Pedy, the majority of people live underground. The "houses" are actually quite nice and if you didn't know you were underground, then you wouldn't know you were underground (funnily enough.) We were guided to an example of one of the first underground burrows and then to a "modern" one (from the 70s). I reckon I could probably live there if I had to.

They then went down a further level into the old mine and that's where my claustrophobia kicked in. I made it down the stairs but turned around and came straight back up. At least I tried this time!

Being claustrophobic however, did give me the chance to have a longer browse at all the pretty opal jewellery before everyone else came up.

We finished our time in Coober by noodling in the dirt to search for opals. No luck here though. I think we were about 50 years too late!

---