Plan your day (and night) in Coober Pedy!

Epic sunrise at the Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park

Make that coffee for the road and sip it en route to the Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park. Easiest way I find to describe it to the uninitiated is a "mini Grand Canyon"! It's obviously unique and stands on its own, but towering weathered chunks of land in a multitude of earthy tones gives me that same vibe as the Grand Canyon or similar scenery around the US/Mexico. Who wore it better? Australia, of course!

Driving out before sunrise, take the safer highway route, but beware of kangaroos! For your return route, take the road which comes back to Coober Pedy via the famous Dog Fence, so you can check that off your list of "Must See Largest Structures in the World"! Second only to the Great Wall of China and the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Dog Fence comes in at 5,614 km! I reckon you get a pretty good feel for it just by seeing a few metres of it and reading the information plaque on site ;)

Back in time for breakfast!

There aren't any toilets at the Breakaways, so if your coffee's working, duck back to your accommodation or head straight to CK Underground, where the food is amazing, the staff and vibe are lovely and the toilets are sparkling! If you watched (or now can) the Back Roads episode on Coober Pedy, you'll remember the Filipinas who run the bakery featured! Since then, they've moved to this much improved location just off the main street. Here's their brekky menu:

Stretch your legs with a walk around the underground churches

Pay for those calorific sins with a visit to one or more of the Coober Pedy's underground churches! Beautiful earthen architecture unique in the world, you can start at the Serbian Orthodox Church, which is open 24 hrs. Be amazed at the super high carved ceilings and in-wall sculptures! Next up, swing by the Anglican Church, known as Catacomb Church. Say g'day to Minister Dave if he's about, super nice bloke! Taking us back into the main street of town, let's next stop by the Sts Peters and Paul Catholic Church on the main street of town. This one's really cosy and as with each church, carved in a different style than the rest. See if Father Paul's around, just don't ask him about the footy unless North Melbourne has had a win!

Opal Mines and Museums

While we're close to town, choose one or more of the great opal mines and museums to explore. They're all worth doing while you're in town, each offering unique experiences. All offer a feel of underground mining and some underground living. You can grab some opal, jewellery or souvenirs at all. Here's a unique thing to each, but I want you to go to all of them, as it's well worth it! Old Timer's Mine - best historical artifacts/museum section! Umoona Opal Mine & Museum - best displays of fossils! Tom's Working Opal Mine - best homemade scones in the cafe!

Outback Bar & Grill

All that museuming makes one hungry! Next door to the Shell petrol station, you'll be amazed at what the Greek boys have done inside the Outback Bar & Grill. With an immaculate fit  out, comfy booths and food I could (and almost do) eat every day, you'll forget you're in the middle of the outback! Vegan and gluten free options cater to everyone, but if it fits your diet, I recommend getting the big hanging souvlaki in lamb or chicken - chef's kiss! Wash it down with a fresh pressed juice if you're feeling healthy or try their own branded craft beer! Oh, the pizza is also very highly rated here, as is the rest of the menu!

Friendly Opal Shops

I highly recommend everyone to visit the Opalios opal shop at the top end of the main street, near the roundabout. The wonderful Stella has been welcoming people into their cosy store for almost 40 years, along with her great children, George and Lyn! They'll usually pamper any kids visiting and take care of everyone with well priced opal and great stories! Cross the road and stroll down the street a bit and you can pop into John & Yoka's opal shop. Named by the original owners, the Dunstans, famous opal miners in Andamooka and Coober Pedy, you'll see some great historical photos up on the walls! Now run by Wayne and Sarah and their 2 boys and a cute little puppy, they stock an amazing range of opal of all types, along with cool zebra rock specimens and maybe even a scorpion (not alive)!

Kangaroo Orphanage & Art Gallery

This is a very popular attraction for most Coober Pedy visitors and you can support a great cause. Terry and Josephine do amazing work rescuing and rehabilitating all kinds of wildlife in the area. When we were new to Coober Pedy, we had a nankeen kestrel chick fall out of its nest in our dugout wall. These great people nursed it back to health and then were able to release it as a big beautiful bird! You'll often have the chance to meet renowned Queensland aboriginal artist, Tommy Crow in the shop and see his unique "Sunset Dreaming" style of artwork. For local indigenous artists, the recently opened Umoona Community Art Centre is well worth a visit!

Star Opals

Just next door to the kangaroo orphanage, pop in to see David at Star Opals and stock up on any opal crafting or art supplies he stocks. There's all sorts of neat little things you may find browsing around his shop, including some nice specimens, opal and other rocks!

World's Weirdest Golf Club

Jump back in the car to head out of town a short distance and you can end up at the Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club. Our claim to fame is that we're the only club in the world with a reciprocal membership arrangement with the famed St. Andrews club in Scotland! Other novelties of the course are that instead of smooth putting greens, we apply oil to the grassless sand to give it a smooth ride to the hole! When teeing off, you'll be given a little patch of artificial turf to use and take as you play through! Certain times of the year, there'll be night golf specials, where your balls light up, giving you 5 minutes after hitting it to find it before it goes out!

Crocodile Harry's Nest

Continue a bit further in the same direction and you'll end up at Crocodile Harry's, an underground.... "lair" (seems most appropriate word to me!) or a very colourful late character of Coober Pedy. Entering the property you'll see all sorts of funky sculptures and art installations, then likely be greeted by a big friendly dog, often your only host for your self-guided, donation box tour of the dugout. Inside, the walls are adorned (splattered?) with carvings, graffiti and love messages! Plenty of underwear hangs from the ceiling, with a likely colourful story of how they all got there! You can drive back towards town if you want to say hi to Crocodile Harry and many of the other Coober Pedy legends at the Boot Hill cemetery. See the famous headstone with its own beer keg and many other unique resting places. Please feel free to pick up any weeds you see in the path or around graves and pop them in the bin there, thanks!

Sunset dinner at the Big Winch 360

You're likely already surprised by how many gourmet eateries we have out here in the middle of nowhere! Be further amazed with a meal and epic sunset at the Big Winch 360! Get there early to do the 360 cinematic experience before sitting on the lawn (touch grass if you need to!) with a hard earned beverage, then study the menu. My tip - if you're tossing up between two dishes, get both! Before you leave, go to the loo, as your next activities will be sans-amenities!

And the best night cap in Coober Pedy - finding some opals!

I'm obviously biased, but hunting for opal at night never gets old! Whether you come noodling with me near town or experience real opal mining out on the fields with Dan, good times will be had!

Join Dan from Unearthed on a tag along trip to a famous claim on the 23 Mile/Brown's Folly opal field. This is the same spot where the famed multi-million dollar Virgin Rainbow opal pipe was found 20 years ago! Dan will deftly operate his 50 ton excavator, scraping 6 inches worth of material from a large stretch of virgin wall. You'll then help him to scan for any trace of opal in the walls, using powerful blacklights! When found, you'll then get a chance to dig out some opal that's been hidden for 100 million years using a hand pick, or really get into it with a cordless jackpick, Dan will show you the best techniques! Your signed waiver will acknowledge that any opal found on the night belongs to the claim holder (Dan), but he's a generous bloke and whenever I've helped him host the experience, he always sends people home with something!

Wow, that's a fully packed day already there, but there's so much more to do in Coober Pedy - check out the full list of everything in Coober Pedy @ Cooberpedia.org