Considering how large and diverse our beautiful world is, it's no surprise that we humans have invented so many unique and fascinating ways to live.
While animals are content to stick with what works, we homo sapiens are always dreaming up new forms of shelter. Whether it be teeny tiny houses, elaborate mansions, or floating abodes, it's clear humans are no longer happy with just four walls and a roof.
And since I spend a lot of time looking at weird houses and fascinating lifestyles, I thought I'd seen it all — but then I came across Coober Pedy in South Australia, and now I finally feel like I've seen everything.
Originally established as an opal mining town, Coober Pedy is now home to nearly 2,000 people. But judging by the spotless landscape, you'd never be able to guess…
After watching the amazing video at the end, please SHARE if you'd never heard of this strange town either!
In the scorching red plains of South Australia, there exists a very mysterious little town called Coober Pedy.
But it's not just the high temperatures and treeless horizon that makes Coober Pedy so special.
What truly sets this town of 1,675 people apart?
Coober Pedy exists almost entirely beneath the ground!
Within the red Australian earth stretch miles and miles of manmade tunnels, all filled with furnishings you'd find in normal homes.
Here, hotel rooms are available for rent to visiting tourists.
But this isn't just a tourist town. Many people have settled permanently in Coober Pedy.
Half-above and half-below the hot earth, these homes are certainly unique — but they offer the same comforts of normal modern-day houses.
So how did all this start? In 1915, a father and son came through the area in search of gold.
What they found instead was opal, which quickly became a wildly popular stone abroad. But due to high temperatures, miners found it easier to seek shelter within their mines, rather than above the ground.
Thus, they began to dig.
Now, nearly 1,500 homes — or "dugouts" — exist in Coober Pedy.
Now, Coober Pedy is the main provider of opal worldwide — though it's just as famous for its strange dugouts as its precious stones. The town's name itself means "white man's hole," an Aboriginal term coined in the 1920s.
But the town has gone far beyond opal mines, hotels, and homes. Residents of Coober Pedy have even dug a beautiful church below the ground.
There's also a bookstore for any local or visiting bookworms.
Stop by the underground jewelry store for a beautiful piece of locally mined opal — or sell what you found within your walls!
If you're looking to kick back, head over to the bar and enjoy a few drinks with friends.
If none of that appeals to you, you can always tee off on the Coober Pety golf green!
Would you be up for visiting this fascinating little town? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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