Monday 2 September: Making Tracks To Coober Pedy

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Today we are on the lands of the  Antakirinja Matu – Yankunytjatjara peoples.

Tyre marks on the Finke River Road at Kulgera following recent heavy rains
 
The A87 to Coober Pedy leaves the ranges of the Northern Territory behind and enters very dry and  flat countryside. 

The Adelaide to Darwin railway line north of Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy is of course famous for its opal mines. We found out that mining laws discouraged large-scale mining by allowing each prospector only a 15m2 claim, with additional requirements on how many hours a week must be worked. It is a democratising of mining in its way.

Coober Pedy and its surrounds have long attracted film makers, and it has been the setting for productions including Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.


Waste dirt from the opal mines


The machines used to suck out the waste dirt




Another move tomorrow - to Port Augusta about 550km south. Plenty of time for podcasts, music and audio books.
Location: Coober Pedy SA 5723, Australia

Comments

  1. Lyn2 September 2024 at 20:23

    Another long stretch . Wow Australia is so vast. Be safe.

    ReplyDelete

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