Day-Trips

Andamooka

Coober Pedy's smaller sister opal town - a ramshackle, characterful field about 5½ hours away by road, famous for matrix opal and pioneer dugouts.

Manguri Siding

The remote rail siding 42km west of town where The Ghan stops - your chance to glimpse the legendary outback train on its run between Adelaide and Darwin.

The Eight Mile Opal Field

The rich historic opal field north of town where the world's most valuable opal was found - quirky sculptures, old diggings and a scattering of people still living out there.

William Creek

One of Australia's smallest towns - a historic pub on the Oodnadatta Track and the gateway to Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, about 167km east of Coober Pedy.

Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park

Stunning Aboriginal-owned tablelands and colourful hills, 30 min north - unmissable at sunrise or sunset.

• Good with kids

Moon Plain

A vast, lunar gibber-stone desert used as a film location - utterly otherworldly.

• Free

Painted Desert (Arckaringa Hills)

Remote, multi-coloured hills about 2.5 hours away - a spectacular 4WD-friendly day trip.

The Dog Fence (Dingo Fence)

See a stretch of the world's longest fence - 5,600km built to keep dingoes from the south-east.

• Free