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Fossicking for opal gemstones—locally called noodling—requires no permit at the Jewellers Shop mining area at the edge of town. Take care in unmarked areas, and always watch your step, as the area is littered with abandoned opal mines down which you might fall. (Working mines are off-limits to visitors.)
Although most of Coober Pedy's devotions are decidedly material in nature, the town does have its share of spiritual houses of worship. In keeping with the town's layout, they, too, are underground. St. Peter and St. Paul's Catholic Church is a National Heritage–listed building, and the Anglican Catacomb Church is notable for its altar fashioned from a windlass (a winch) and lectern made from a log of mulga wood. The Serbian Orthodox Church is striking, with its scalloped ceiling, rock-carved icons, and brilliant stained-glass windows.
This 12-hour, 600-km (372-mile) tour through the Outback (A$340) is one of the most unusual experiences anywhere, with stops at outback cattle stations, bush pubs, and the world's longest man-made structure, the Dingo Fence. Tours (maximum of four people per tour; price is per person) depart Monday and Thursday at 8:45 am.
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