Mining started in 1915. In 1920 the town was named from the Aboriginal word Kupa Piti;white man's hole or water hole. ( for a better view please click to enlarge the pics.)
The mining areas look like anthills from a birds eye view.
The desert Cave Hotel where we stayed. some of the rooms are dugouts.
I had a dugout room, or cave room. No windows. It is pitch black. It was very comfortable and very quiet. The stone is soft and crumbly. In an emergency I probably could have dug my way out! 
The town looks like a perpetual construction site.
Most people live in dugout houses. Summers are very hot more than 50 degree C and winter is cold. The cave houses keep an even temperature of about 23 degree C.
A pretty arrangement at the entrance of the church.
One of the many cave churches.
The cemetery for all religious nominations. The Christian graves face the desert and the Muslims face Mecca. There are about 45 Nations in Coober Pedy.
No this is not Egypt, this is a mining area.
They never lose their sense of humour.
The holes are very deep, it is dangerous, because there are so many and generally one can't see them. Our driver drove very close to them!
The stony desert;
Everybody wants one!
A splash of beauty. The aptly named Desert Pea.continued;
