Wed, 19th June, 2024 Community Campground, Kingoonya to Opal Inn Caravan Park, Coober Pedy, SA (exploring)

7.30am 10 degrees and we are fogged in. Can’t see very far at all. Luckily we aren’t in a rush.

Sent a text of to Janet to see how Uncle John is doing - very well, which is great. She said it was a bit nippy there too - there is frost over the ground.

9am the fog still hasn’t lifted but we decided to head off and go slow. The old roadhouse looks very sad.

The sun is trying to break through - I can see a big white ball every now and then through the clouds. No problems as we went back the 40km on the dirt back to the highway. Passed the truck that came in yesterday afternoon - we thought he was broken down but he was just going so slowly. Poor chap, what a drive.

Back to Glendambo to top up with the cheaper diesel again as it is $2.25 in Coober Pedy. Had a cuppa then headed off up the Stuart Highway again. Less fog, just grey sky.

The fog is breaking up and we can see blue sky above it now.

Into Bon Bon Station and the sky has cleared. Open scrub and low trees.

Quick stop at the Bon Bon Rest Area to check out the info boards. We enjoyed following part of the old Ghan line in 1918. A Woomera sign about blocking the highway for 12 hours etc but luckily it has already happened. It is sunny but the cold breeze still has a bite.

Over the grid and into Mount Eba Station. Another Woomera prohibited area sign by the road.

Nice views as we continue into the next station - Bulgunnia. We have seen a few of the Supercars transporters heading south after the racing in Darwin.

Very flat - we can see for miles.

Onto the Twins Station - ironstone topped ground. A big tailings ‘hill’ stands out at Buzzard Mine (Peak Iron Mines). Watched a dump truck come onto the top and drop its load as we drove past - pretty big hill!

Puffy low white clouds are coming over us now as we go onto McDovall Peak Station. Haven’t seen any animals - just a few crows!

Long climb up a rise through a few low hills - no trees. Into Ingomar Station. Stopped for lunch at the Rest Area. Each one has the same info but one section about the area we are near - Coober Pedy on this one.

Now up to 240m elevation - nice view.

The wind has gotten strong and more clouds are darkening the sky. Continued on past the turn off to Prominent Hill Mine (major copper, silver and gold mine). Can’t see anything so must be a long way off.

Next one we can see, Peculiar Knob Mine (Peak Iron Mines). They have tunnels under the road for the mine vehicles.

As we cross into Mt Clarence Station (about 40km south of Coober Pedy) we can see opal mining piles and machinery on both sides of the road.

Up and down the long ridges with colourful breakaways to our right.

More opal mining appears as we near Coober Pedy.

Pulled into the clearing for a photo with the Blower and Coober Pedy sign.

Things have changed a lot from the old timers with the picks and shovels.

Jon will be staying here tonight on his way up to Alice Springs with work so we booked into the caravan park where he is staying in the hotel section.

Parked up and had a cuppa.

Great info in the tourist booklet. It also had the sign about the flies in Glendambo and how Lake Hart’s salt was a prized industry in the 1930s.

I think this used to be the front entrance for the motel.

Walked into town for a look around. Windy and cold. First stop is the oldest underground church. Looks a lot different to when it was first made in 1965.

We went inside. Small room at the front with a wooden handrail for the slope in the floor.

Into the church itself. Bits of opal in the walls. Very quiet and cool.

Across to the Lions Park where there are information signs but only 4 of the 10 can be read any more.

The TAFE is now where the Lutheran Mission was.

I was going to check out the Underground Bookstore but it was closed as are a lot of the shops.

The Desert Cave Hotel has a lot above ground but there is an underground bar in there somewhere.

Not a very neat and tidy town unfortunately but there are plenty of tourists about and there are lots of opal shops of course.

The Umoona Opal Mine and Museum have done a lovely job with their ‘garden’ along the pathway with Sturt Desert Peas and new shrubs.

This was a chap’s home.

The Yorke Hoist.

Into the Museum (which is free) which was an old mine in the main street. Umoona is the name of the Aboriginal Community nearby. Some very interesting displays and lots of information. There are some other sections that you pay a fee to visit and some were closed for upgrading.

Continued further into the hillside. Lots of information and photos. Very interesting.

Further north is the Kanku-Breakaways that are part of a Conservation Park. Great curved wall picture of them.

Amazing fossils.

Lots of lovely pieces of opal on display - my photos don’t do the colours justice. There are beautiful opal and jewellery pieces for sale too - I just couldn’t decide!

Next door is the Opal Cave. There is a huge spaceship on one side of the car park - it was used in a movie, Pitch Black.

Steve found a friend outside the Opal Cave. 

The Opal Cave was established by Faye Neyler in the 1960s. She and two lady friends dug it out by hand, using only picks, shovels and wheel-barrows to sell off her opals that she found in her mine on the other side of town. She worked the mine for 15 years before opening it up as a tourist mine including her home. There are so many beautiful pieces for sale here too. I asked the chap about cleaning up the opal on the rock Steve found and he said using wet & dry sandpaper or bring it in tomorrow and he will give it a polish for free. Nice chap.

Headed back to the camper but kept going a bit further to check out some painted tyres near the playground.

Across the road to the Information Centre. Great map showing the rail line and old and new Stuart Highway. It would have been a battle travelling when it was dirt or wet! We remember the ‘fun’ going up to Lakefield NP or to Cooktown over the dirt - corrugations and bull dust holes! A great collection of photos.

Outside was the town map and a photo of the Breakaways.

Back to the camper as the sun is going down and so is the temperature. Had our drinks in the camper then heard from Jon.

Met him in the Bistro for dinner and we had a lovely time catching up. He loved being home with Annalise and Beau. Beau is still not sleeping well during the day which is very tiring and he has been eating well so is a lot heavier.

Said farewell, again, and walked back to the camper. Luckily we had left the heater on so it was a perfect temperature when we got back inside.