Australian pit homes

They are called dugouts. It’s a town called Coober Pedy, a crazy town with crazy characters, it’s rich in minerals like opals and gold and has the worst weather in Australia with extreme heat and crazy dust storms. It is in the middle of the Australian desert. This unrelenting weather has forced people to live in these dugouts/underground houses. It’s a whole underground town with churches, cafes, bookshops, cinema, hotels, pubs and homes. I even saw a g.p (doctor’s office) located underground.

If earth quake happens, they are screwed. Basically buried forever

Perfect place to hide if the Walking Dead infected the Aussies.

Basra said:

If earth quake happens, they are screwed. Basically buried forever

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You can make it earthquake proof if you're rich enough.

halwa said:

Perfect place to hide if the Walking Dead infected the Aussies.

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@halwa

You will see modern homes with swimming pools in these dugouts and guess what? If you ever heard of Alpha men, then, the blokes who live in that town will own the title. A female is passed around like the Jihadists do in Syria and in Iraq. You should consider starting the first Islamic council of Coober Pedy and build a dugout mosque. Get ajar and convert few of these guys.

AussieHustler said:

They are called dugouts. It’s a town called Coober Pedy, a crazy town with crazy characters, it’s rich in minerals like opals and gold and the worst weather in Australia with extreme heat and crazy dust storms. It is in the middle of the Australian desert. This unrelenting weather has forced people to live in these dugouts/underground houses. It’s a whole underground town with churches, cafes, bookshops, cinema, hotels, pubs and homes. I even saw a g.p (doctor’s office) located underground.

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surely the locals don't do artisanal mining?

AliUK said:

surely the locals don't do artisanal mining?

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@AliUK

The overwhelming majority of the people are artisan miners. But you need to get a license and plots of land are leased from the government/council. There are others who own few plots and they hire seasonal workers who came to town to make quick bucks and flee because during summer, most people leave town when the Mercury reaches 55-60C

AussieHustler said:

@AliUK

The overwhelming majority of the people are artisan miners. But you need to get a license and plots of land are leased from the government/council. There are others who own few plots and they hire seasonal workers who came to town to make quick bucks and flee because during summer, most people leave town when the Mercury reaches 55-60C

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Do they make good money?

AliUK said:

Do they make good money?

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@AliUK

Few strike rich, but the majority are content to make enough to live on independently and be free from welfare handouts and working for a boss. That small town has got more opal shops than anywhere in the world. That shows you that the miners aren’t striking million dollars opals but enough to sustain life. These people are our Wild West Aussies and they are very different from city slickers. It used to have a very violent reputation. I met old blokes who were mining there for 50 or more years. Many of these old folks that I met were south and east Europeans and mainly from former yoguslavia and Greece. At 60-70 years old, they’re still chasing their dream to strike big one day. I saw a Serbian and Greek Orthodox churches built underground. For most, I was the first African that they met. Around 15% of the population are aborigines. We are talking a population of a small town of less than 4000 at most and less than 2000 when the elements are unbearable and too harsh.

Few movies were shot there like;

Mad Max
Red planet
Pitch black
The adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (@Cognitivedissonance will love this movie)
The Osiris Child
Kangaroo jack