The Impossible Towns of the Outback

When one drives on Stuart Highway through the centre of Australia, it seems impossible to think that people actually live there – hundreds kilometers away from cities and even from each other, in the middle of the desert where water is scarce and shade practically non-existent. Marc and I found the towns on the way strangely attractive, especially Coober Pedy and Adamooka (because of an obvious additional pull factor: opal.)

Our Rough Guide to Australia said that the most incredible thing about Coober Pedy is that it exists at all. This statement is very true and it also goes for Adamooka. Coober Pedy has about 2000, while Adamooka only about 500. However, there are a lot of similarities between them (other than opal, of course). Both towns are erected directly in the desert without any water sources. After enduring years of water shortages and limits of 100 liters per week per household, Coober Pedy has developed a technology to desalinate and filter bore water that can be found not far from the town. Adamooka, however, still relies on a cistern trucks to fill out its water tanks.

Obviously, there are no electric wires going through the Red Centre. This means that both places rely on diesel generators for their electricity. Coober Pedy also added a windmill to diversify its energy sources.

As Coober Peddy grew larger and became of interest to tourists, the Government decided that it needed to be represented there, despite the resentment of the locals who felt very good free of government presence and the boundaries that come with it. Andamooka still prouds itself as a place free of government and bureaucrats. I don’t even recall seeing a police station there.

And so both places live their quiet lives, isolated from the outside world. And yet, they are both pretty international, as the amateurs of opal came from all over the world. According to the last census (2006) people currently living in Coober Pedy were born in 50 different countries!

I thought I would be very impressed by Alice Spring as an oasis of lavishing greens and surrounded by the spectacular Macdonnel Ranges. While I found Alice Springs pretty enough, somehow I felt nostalgic about these two rough places that somehow found their way into my heart.