The Breakaways Reserve is a stark but colourful area of arid hills, mesas and scarps 32km north from Coober Pedy along a rough road − turn off the highway 22km west of town. Entry permits ($10 per vehicle per 24 hours) are available at the Coober Pedy Visitor Information Centre; note that Indigenous land owners may change this process at some stage in the future. Get some solid directions from the visitor centre too.
Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
10.41 MILES
Check out this amazing leftover prop from the film Pitch Black, which has crash-landed on Hutchison St (a minor Millennium Falcon?). Intricate, creative,…
10.35 MILES
This interesting warren of tunnels was mined in 1916, and then hidden by the miners. The mine was rediscovered in 1968 when excavations for a dugout home…
9.01 MILES
As seen in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, this wildly eccentric underground abode was once home to Arvid Blumenthal, a Latvian-born runaway (quite possibly a…
10.38 MILES
For a terrific introduction to Coober Pedy – including history, fossils, desert habitats, Aboriginal culture, ecology and mining – take a wander through…
11.4 MILES
The best place to check out a working excavation is Tom's, 2km southwest of town: miners continue their search for the big vein; visitors noodle for small…
10.56 MILES
Faye’s was hand dug by three women in the 1960s – an exercise in persistence, to say the least. It's now a time-warp museum and a window into life in…
10.9 MILES
This is the town's largest and most impressive underground church, with intricate rock-wall carvings and a gorgeous vaulted ceiling. It's about 3km east…
Catholic Church of St Peter & St Paul
10.59 MILES
Coober Pedy's first underground church still has a sweet appeal, with statue-filled nooks and hushed classical music.
Nearby attractions
9.01 MILES
As seen in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, this wildly eccentric underground abode was once home to Arvid Blumenthal, a Latvian-born runaway (quite possibly a…
9.91 MILES
A simple, compact bunker with rows of chairs and remote sermons beamed onto a big screen. Pull up a pew and contemplate your misdoings.
10.35 MILES
This interesting warren of tunnels was mined in 1916, and then hidden by the miners. The mine was rediscovered in 1968 when excavations for a dugout home…
10.38 MILES
For a terrific introduction to Coober Pedy – including history, fossils, desert habitats, Aboriginal culture, ecology and mining – take a wander through…
10.38 MILES
You can't miss the Big Winch with its big dangling bucket, from which there are sweeping views over the Coober Pedy rooftops. A planned 'world-class…
10.41 MILES
Check out this amazing leftover prop from the film Pitch Black, which has crash-landed on Hutchison St (a minor Millennium Falcon?). Intricate, creative,…
10.56 MILES
Faye’s was hand dug by three women in the 1960s – an exercise in persistence, to say the least. It's now a time-warp museum and a window into life in…
8. Catholic Church of St Peter & St Paul
10.59 MILES
Coober Pedy's first underground church still has a sweet appeal, with statue-filled nooks and hushed classical music.