Underground Buildings......Coober Pedy

Originally dug in search of opal, the dugouts were no bigger than they needed to be.
You can always renovate or expand.....just dig another hole!
New building work is done by modern tunneling machines and is much cheaper than conventional methods of building.





The houses aren't just deep caves.....they are dug into the hill sides. The entrance is at street level and the rooms extend to the back of the hill.







Sandstone is perfectly suited to underground homes, it is easy to dig through and is strong and stable. No complicated engineering is required....just dig away!
The tunneling machines leave a pattern on the walls....looks attractive, warm and friendly.
The sandstone is sealed to avoid dust.



Rooms are ventilated by small narrow shafts, which poke out of the hills. Natural light is also allowed into the building by using wider shafts.
There is no sound penetration.
Being underground the temperature is always perfect (constant) and there is no humidity.