The Hidden Town

    Why would anyone want to live where the sun doesn’t shine? The answer is simple: to stay cool. 

    Coober Pedy sits on the edge of a desert. Temperatures soar to 120 degrees in the summer—and there isn’t much shade. You can walk for miles without seeing a tree. 

    The early miners found a clever way to beat the heat. They worked underground digging for opals. They knew the temperature in the mines never changed. It was always a comfortable 75 degrees. 

    To get cool, the miners used their mining tools to dig their homes into the ground.

    Today, more than 1,500 people live in dugouts beneath Coober Pedy. Tunnels bring fresh air in from the surface. People carve bookshelves into the walls. One woman even built a pool in her living room. 

    Why do these people choose to live where the sun doesn’t shine? To stay cool. 

    Coober Pedy sits on the edge of a desert. Temperatures can reach 120 degrees. And there isn’t much shade.     

    The early miners found a way to beat the heat. They worked underground digging for opals. They knew the temperature in the mines never changed. It was always a comfortable 75 degrees. 

    To stay cool, the miners used their mining tools to dig homes out of the ground.

    Today, more than 1,500 people live in dugouts beneath Coober Pedy. Tunnels bring fresh air in from the surface. People carve bookshelves into the walls. One woman even built a pool in her living room. 

    Why would anybody want to live where the sun doesn’t shine? The explanation is simple: It’s an excellent way to stay cool. 

    Coober Pedy sits on the edge of a desert, and temperatures there soar to 120 degrees in the summertime. There isn’t much shade—you can walk for miles without seeing a single tree. 

    The early miners devised an ingenious way to beat the heat. They worked underground digging for opals, and they knew the temperature in the mines was consistently a comfortable 75 degrees. 

    To create pleasant living conditions, the miners used their mining tools to dig their homes into the ground.

    Today, more than 1,500 people reside in dugouts underneath Coober Pedy. Tunnels carry fresh air in from the surface. People carve bookshelves into the walls. One woman even built a pool in her living room. 

    In Coober Pedy, people do more than just sleep and eat underground. Visitors can stay in the Desert Cave Hotel, 55 feet below ground. Worshippers have a choice of underground churches. There are also bars and a bookstore.

    What’s it like to live underground? People in Coober Pedy say it’s quiet. It’s also easy to get a good night’s sleep. There’s no sunlight to wake you up in the morning.

    And there’s another benefit: You can dig for opals in your walls. You might strike it rich—right in your own home.

    In Coober Pedy, it’s not just homes that are underground. The Desert Cave Hotel is 55 feet below ground. There are churches. There are bars and a bookstore too.

    What’s it like to live underground? People in Coober Pedy say it’s quiet. It’s also easy to get a good night’s sleep. There’s no sunlight to wake you up in the morning.

    And you can dig for opals in your walls. You might strike it rich—in your own home.

    In Coober Pedy, people do more than just sleep and eat underground. Visitors can stay in the Desert Cave Hotel, 55 feet below ground. Worshippers have a choice of underground churches, and there are also bars and a bookstore.

    What’s it like to live underground? Residents of Coober Pedy say it’s quiet. It’s also easy to get a good night’s sleep, because there’s no sunlight to wake you up in the morning.

    And there’s an additional benefit: You can dig for opals in your walls. You might strike it rich—right in your own home.