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Australia: in Coober Pedy, life underground to escape the heat
Australia: in Coober Pedy, life underground to escape the heat
(France 2)
In Australia, the small town of Coober Pedy, located in the middle of the desert, faces temperatures close to 50°C. So, the inhabitants began to live underground, 30 meters deep. They only come to the surface after dark to take advantage of the relative coolness.
The town of Coober Pedy rose from the ground, in the middle of the desert, in the heart of Australia. This mining town is full of opal, a precious stone that has attracted, for over a century, those who dream of making their fortune. In this city, it is so hot (50°C in summer) that the inhabitants live underground. For 14 years, opal researcher Markus Hammermeister has lived in a 180 m2 cave house that he dug himself.
More than 100 years of life underground
Today, in Coober Pedy, because of the heat, 60% of the inhabitants live underground. The town also has an underground church, shops and bar. In the town of Coober Pedy, the idea of living underground dates back to the early 20th century. A museum houses one of the very first troglodyte houses. Dug in 1916, it has been preserved as is.
