Opal underground city, which was founded by a 14-year-old teenager (10 photos)

Australia itself is unique and distinctive. But there is in it an amazing place even by local standards - the city of Coober Pedy.





At first glance, the area looks deserted and uninhabited. But this is not so: about 80% of the population (and about 2000 people live here man) does not live on the surface of the earth, but under it.



Underground or, more precisely, cave dwellers have everything necessary for a comfortable life: shopping centers, church, bar, museums and even an underground churchyard. And the name of the city is two local words in English translation. What does "White Man's Hole" mean?





How did the underground city appear? Its founder in 1915 year, by chance, became an ordinary teenager, 14-year-old boy Will Hutchinson. The boy's father worked in the gold mines with other workers.



And the climate in this area is specific - the heat is +40 in summer with moisture deficiency. One day, Will, along with other guys, went for water. And by chance I noticed something shiny in the sand. It wasn't gold nugget, but opal. And later this place will become the center of stone mining not only in the region, but also in the world.



But how to arrange production, if there is unbearable heat, from which you can hide ... except perhaps underground? The people decided dig a dugout. It turned out surprisingly easily: the soil was dry, but loose. The first dugout was followed by the second. Thus arose spontaneous town.



He slowly grew. Coober Pedy has a post office department. Then they built a hospital and a school. During the era of World War II Opal mining has fallen significantly: other priorities. And the town came to desolation. But now the situation is gradually leveling off. And primitive dugouts were replaced by comfortable cozy houses equipped with a system water supply and air conditioning, sewerage, electricity.



There is also something for tourists to see. One of the main natural places of interest are the desert hills of Arkaringa, reminiscent of a mystical city of hills, colored with bright warm natural colors - yellow, ocher, red.



Another unusual attraction is the dog fence. 5600 km long, which stretches across three states and is designed to protect farmers' possessions from dingo dogs.



And, of course, here you can admire the stones and opal products in local shops and museums. After all, despite the decline production, Opal City continues to provide about 70% of global opal mining.



Would you dare to stay in an underground hotel?