Australia Eguide - Travel Guides

162
serious injury or death if fallen into accidently. Opals can be purchased at Coober Pedy,
there are over 30 Opal dealers in town, but beware, prices do vary greatly from dealer to
dealer.
Old Timers Mine and Museum
There is the Old Timers Mine and Museum in Crowders Gully Road, housed in an old
opal mine dating from 1916 and with opal seams still visible in the walls.
Umoona Opal Mine and Museum
The Umoona Opal Mine and Museum in Hutchison Street is completely underground and
houses a display of European settlement in Coober Pedy, with information on opal
mining and many examples of opals.
Catacomb Underground Church
The Catacomb Underground Church, in Catacomb Road, is multi denominational and
carved in the form of a cross out of the solid sandstone.
Faye’s Underground Home
Faye’s Underground Home in Old Water Tank Road is also carved from the rock.
Flinders Range
The Flinders Ranges stretch a long distance from near Port Pirie and consist of a number
of towns, settlements and vast landscapes.
Flinders Range National Park Flinders Range National Park, covers an area of 94,908
hectares. A gateway to the park is Wilpena Pound that appears like a huge crater. There
are seventeen walking trails within the Flinders Range National Park. There are
aboriginal art sites, and two long-abandoned copper mines. The most spectacular gorge is
Brachina Gorge, to reach which one follows the Brachina Gorge Geological Trail.
Birdsville
Birdsville dates from 1882 and famous for its annual race meeting, which occurs in
September. The other route from Marree is north-west along the course of the old railway
line to Oodnadatta and Alice Springs. This is the Oodnadatta Track.
Birdsville Track
The Birdsville Track is 513 kilometres long. The main route used to lie through Goyder
Lagoon, with a wet weather track to the east for use when the main route was flooded. In
1974, however, the Lagoon filled to such a level that the main track remained impassable
for most of the following three years and it was decided to make the eastern route the
main track and use the short-cut through Goyder Lagoon as an occasional track. Along
the track you will see the famous Dog Fence, 5,300 kilometres long, built to keep the
dingoes out of the sheep grazing area.
Free from TravelEguides.com Online Travel Information.
©2008 Eguide Pty Ltd