In 1915 the 14 year old son of a migrant by the name of Wille Hutchinson dug up, in a desert region of South Australia, an opal gem and in the subsequent stampede of prospectors and miners the town of Coober Pedy embarked upon a path that would establish itself as the opal capital or the world.
The opal is a silica substance similar to quartz but with a higher water content. The huge volume of the precious stone in this location derives from the natural weathering of the indigenous rocks between 1.8 and 70 million years ago.
The climate and environment in that part of the Outback is harsh with peak summer temperatures reaching 55 degrees Celsius and an annual rainfall of less than 11 centimetres.
If a film director is seeking a suitable location to depict a post nuclear holocaust strike zone then the area around Coober Pedy is top of the list. The desert landscape, originally on a level plane is interrupted by large conical hills comprising the spoils of mine excavations from activity over the last century.
The townspeople have resisted the sensible option to level the artificial ranges because it is their view that there is not much else of interest to capture their attention in the otherwise bleak existence. The barren soils are not capable of nurturing, supporting or sustaining natural growths which makes the municipal Golf Course unique in having no greens and with players required to bring their own piece of turf from which to tee off. There is a sole tree above the town but this is a metal sculpture.
A resident population of around 3500 survive in such surroundings and yet to the visitor passing through en route from Adelaide to Alice Springs it is noticeable that there are very few buildings that could be occupied as homes.
This is because almost 70% of the occupants live underground in their "dugouts".
The aboriginal interpretation of the town's name is "White Man's Hole" referring to initially the 250,000 separate mine entrances amongst the 70 opal fields but with a proportion of the former mines now converted into prime residential properties.
One owner of a palatial 17 room underground mansion was able to fund the ambitious project from the sale of the opals uncovered in the construction process. "If your wife wants another room you dig her one" is the simple answer to enlarging the house.
Some of the subterranean homes have swimming pools and there is also a collection of commercial premises and places of worship.
A standard three bedroom place can be dug out in a day and the cost is up to 30% less than an equivalent surface version.
The main incentive to go underground, if to escape the ravages of a scorching summer was not enough of a reason, is the lower running cost. A dugout home in a hillside maintains a constant and comfortable temperature which in a surface home would cost a fortune to run from air conditioning plant.
The accommodation has featured in many TV series most notably a mainstream broadcast called "Cave Me, Maybe in Coober Pedy". It may be unconventional to many to seek shelter below the earth but to the descendants of the opal pioneers it is just a case of home from home.
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