Coober Pedy - Australia's weirdest town

Coober Pedy - Australia's weirdest town | Vanlife Australia |

Рет қаралды 11,573

9 ай бұрын

Hey friends, in this episode we head back into the outback, to Coober Pedy. Known as the "Opal Capital of the World" Coober Pedy is located in the central Australian desert, and it gets so hot and dusty here that people built their houses undergroud.
I remember learning about this town when I was about 10 years old and I've always wanted to visit here. Let's just say I was NOT disappointed!
We arrived just before a big rain event, and ended up being stranded here for over a week, waiting for the dirt roads to open so we could continue up to the Oodnadatta track. During that time we saw all the best sights (and then some in the town).
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WHO ARE WE?
We are Nigel and Sue (NaS) Adventures, a couple of outdoor adventurers. We've been Overlanding Australia living in our self-converted 4x4 Sprinter van since January 2021. Join us as we visit the highlights, but also share some off the beaten path hidden gems, along with the day to day realities of living in a van.
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Пікірлер: 68

@MoonRiverTravels 9 ай бұрын

What an interesting place! That vlog has to be the best visual showcase of Cober and it's many attractions! Have a great week, and look after yourselves! ❤

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Kit! Much appreciated. Did you ever get out there? It’s unlike anywhere we’ve ever been before

@MoonRiverTravels 9 ай бұрын

@@nigelandsueadventures no, would've liked to have made it, looks like such an incredible place!

@jasonstewart6192 25 күн бұрын

Great video, I find it funny tourists 1st time in Gardu Pedy, I'm a noodler too 😊 next time you pass go to the real Coober Pedy down 8mile Rd, a bit north of town on left side of hwy, drive down track for 20 minutes to see Coober Pedy, you were in Gardu Pedy- Coober Pedy Creek.

@karenadonis9721 Ай бұрын

Geat video,! Entertaining as wel. Heading to Coober Pedy in the next few months!

@nigelandsueadventures Ай бұрын

Oh I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!

@jeanie7369 9 ай бұрын

Oh wow , that footage was absolutely incredible. The Breakaways was just stunning, what a magical place and amazing sunset.

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Jeannie! The Breakaways was probably our favourite part of our visit! So glad we got there before the rain.

@toddbrob 7 ай бұрын

What a great video. Heading there in 3 weeks and you have given me so much inspiration. Thank you!

@nigelandsueadventures 7 ай бұрын

I’m sure the weather will be a lot warmer for you! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

@deeoh3708 6 ай бұрын

Gorgeous at the breakaways .. thanks for staying for the whole show! Fabulous.

@nigelandsueadventures 6 ай бұрын

It was so worth it! We couldn't believe all the people leaving before it got good!

@neilthorman3646 9 ай бұрын

You guys are so beautiful together, what an amazing place if the roads weren’t closed you wouldn’t have become so intimate with this little town. Be safe out there.

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Awwww thank you Neil! You’re right though, and we became quite fond of Coober Pedy. Thanks for watching 😊

@travelswithforrestflo1239 9 ай бұрын

What an interesting and unique place! Thanks for sharing 💛

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Thanks guys! It certainly is unique. Definitely worth spending a few days here. We ended up grateful for all that rain!

@lesleycameron9132 9 ай бұрын

Loved seeing and learning about Cooper Pedy. Heard about it, but never seen what it’s all about - thank you for sharing

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Lesley and your welcome! It’s really unique, we have never been anywhere like it.

@LynneCarey 9 ай бұрын

Very interesting video. I like the new beginning too. 😊 That Coober Pedy sunset was lovely. A very interesting (and weird) place by the looks of it. 😊🤗💖

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Thanks Lynne! It was such a cool place to fly the drone. It’s definitely a one of a kind town!

@davidfrew1518 9 ай бұрын

Thanks guys for the fascinating extensive tour of an iconic Aussie town. Loved the concrete mud.😆

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching David. It’s an incredible place. Have you ever been there?

@davidfrew1518 9 ай бұрын

I'm afraid not. The closest I've been was when I caught a train from Adelaide to Perth eons ago.

@jordandouvartzidis1745 2 ай бұрын

My home town, my father came to Australia in 1960 from Greece and moved to Coober Pedy soon after he arrived. I grew up there and absolutely love the place. We had so much freedom which obviously got us into trouble most days😂 Thanks for sharing a Great video

@nigelandsueadventures 2 ай бұрын

Thanks Jordan! We love Coober Pedy too! Do you still live there? I can imagine it was an amazing place to grow up.

@jordandouvartzidis1745 2 ай бұрын

@@nigelandsueadventures na I left in 2001, and now live on the Gold Coast, haven’t been back since 02. Keep meaning to go back but life has other plans. The day will come though, my kids haven’t been and they have heard most of my childhood stories so I really want to take them there.

@stevenjohannesen88 9 ай бұрын

Crikey, love the Reg Grundy comment! Most people would not know what they are! Champion v/log, cheers from Geelong, ❤️🦘🦘🦘

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Cheers Steven! It’s a term we use a lot. Even Nigel the kiwi.

@jodieandkylie5091 9 ай бұрын

Such a unique town. We didn’t find that beautiful church, so you did better than us. Also, I have olive trees and tried them straight off the tree years ago….never again…sooooo bitter!!

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

The Serbian church? Yeah it’s quite a way out of town. We are so keen to learn how to harvest olives! We love them

@nosetdirection3963 7 ай бұрын

Excellent thanks

@nigelandsueadventures 7 ай бұрын

You are welcome! Thanks for watching 🧡

@peterbrockman161 9 ай бұрын

Hey Nigel and Sue. I think that may be your best video to date.... Certainly, the kookiest. Coober Pedy was great. However, you do meet some of the strangest people on your travels. Thanks again... I said to Hayley.... "Look we're on the telly". 😂😂

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Haha did you rewind and watch it over again?? My dad always says “You meet interesting people travelling because interesting people travel”

@peterbrockman161 9 ай бұрын

@nigelandsueadventures we watched it once but will certainly watch it again. And yep, your father is spot on.... Travelling around you certainly meet some cool and interesting people.

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

I’m so glad we got to meet you both. Looking forward to seeing you again in Tassie

@Susan-md6nd 7 ай бұрын

Love to visit Coober Pedy

@nigelandsueadventures 7 ай бұрын

Oh Susan, you have to go! It’s amazing. We loved it there

@perentee77 2 ай бұрын

The breakaways are best either in the morning or in the afternoon. As you can see by your pictures the colours in the hills are much better then at sunset. You basically drive out to watch the sun go down on the horizon which is nice but it's in the opposite direction to the breakaways. That glow on the horizon 30 minutes after sunset is magical but you can see that from the big winch lookout. Much better place for sunset.

@nigelandsueadventures Ай бұрын

Actually we loved watching the cliffs change colour. We saw the sunset from the Big Winch several times but enjoyed the Breakaways much more. Maybe too many people there for our liking!

@perentee77 Ай бұрын

As a local to coober pedy I've done hundreds of sunsets at the breakaways. Trust me there is no colour change. It's not uluru. You get shadow's that grow but the colours get less vivid the closer the sun gets to the horizon. 15 minutes before the sun goes down most of the hills are completely shaded. Next time I recommend doing a sunrise and you'll see a big difference in the colours. Make sure to do the sunrise on the bottom road near the salt and pepper hills.

@savinggracehealthhealingre6028 5 ай бұрын

The churches are beautiful. The Serbian Orthodox church is stunning.

@nigelandsueadventures 5 ай бұрын

It would have been very cool to go to a service in one of them!

@maryplewes5040 Ай бұрын

you need to ferment the olives in lye to get the flavour we know and love..

@nigelandsueadventures Ай бұрын

Ahhhh, I thought there was some process. We love olives.

@hyme278 3 ай бұрын

Its isolated, very isolated. You dont get up on a Saturday morning and think oh i might drive to town today. Its not like that.

@nigelandsueadventures 3 ай бұрын

That’s for sure! And probably what makes it so cool.

@firstworldproblems6064 3 ай бұрын

its no different from a city. except the desert is cleaner

@harrykaravias4823 9 ай бұрын

Coober looks amazing. Shame about the rain. With the olives there is a process. Lengthy one at that. Did you find an opal to retire on. 😁 Hope you were able to continue your journey. Safe travels. 😊

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Hiya Harry! Sadly we didn’t find any Opals. Mind you we only spent about 10 minutes looking! It’s kinda boring but I can see how some people get the bug! Yes we definitely continued on… join us next week for that crazy adventure! Have you ever been to Coober?

@harrykaravias4823 9 ай бұрын

Good to hear. No I haven’t. I’m planing a road trip possibly next year or year after to Uluru/Alice via Coober. That sunset spot looked amazing.

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

@harrykaravias4823 oh do it!! It’s a wonderful part of the country!

@robertacasey5204 9 ай бұрын

So just how much rain did they get? Seems crazy that the roads were closed for that long but I guess if they are all dirt and it never rains there that makes. sense.

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

Hi Roberta, there was about 50mm (2 inches) n 36 hours. The average yearly rainfall is only 162mm or 6 inches. So yeah, rain there is very rare! I’m n next weeks video you’ll see what the roads were really like !!

@roaming-aus 8 ай бұрын

You think Coober Pedy is Weird. Been there. Try Lightning Ridge. That’s weird on another level🤣🤣

@nigelandsueadventures 8 ай бұрын

Really? Wow! I have to go there if it’s weirder than Coober Pedy!!

@lydiaredl9879 Ай бұрын

Were are your favourite places in Australia what do you think about women traveling alone.

@sigitrock 5 ай бұрын

real dwarft fortress

@nigelandsueadventures 5 ай бұрын

It’s like nowhere else we’ve ever seen! Have you been there?

@onyinye5397 6 ай бұрын

Are there wild animals there? Like snakes and those other poisonous animals?

@nigelandsueadventures 6 ай бұрын

I’m sure there are. We didn’t see much wildlife around this area though. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a snake.

@chrissmith-ck8cn 9 ай бұрын

u meeet my mate nick?

@nigelandsueadventures 9 ай бұрын

In the Old Time Miners museum? Yes he’s a top bloke!

@amandaluxmoore4228 4 ай бұрын

Safe for a lone female traveler?

@nigelandsueadventures 4 ай бұрын

I think it would be as safe as anywhere. Maybe don't wander around alone at night, there are the usual folks out on the streets. Our biggest concern was large dogs roaming around, I was more scared of them than people!

@amandaluxmoore4228 4 ай бұрын

@@nigelandsueadventures bless. Thanx so much.