Have you ever wondered what makes a place famous? Obviously, the answer is point of interest. Famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. Natural beauty such as the Jungfrau region in the Swiss Alps or the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Not to mention places of historic and architectural significance, from the Tower of London to the Empire State Building in New York.
However, there are some places that are famous for very strange reasons. One American town turned into a dog once its grocery store was burned down, and the Alleys of England became a prankster’s ass.
An “undiscovered” Pacific island and a growing Australian peak. Some of these places you may not want to visit, and others may prove a bit difficult unless you venture into the online world. They’re all famous for very strange reasons.
The iconic Australian country town is a remote community with a pub on each corner, where the Akubra-wearing locals gather to say “gidday”. However the town of Coober Pedy has one distinct difference. Most of the town’s 1700 residents all live underground.
The mining town in the South Australian outback records summer temperatures of up to 45C (113F). Early opal miners adapted to the inhospitable environment by creating underground “dugouts” to escape the searing heat. The local indigenous population were so amused by the miners creating rabbit-like burrows they referred to the town as “white fella in a hole”, or “Coober Pedy”
Today most of the town’s homes and public buildings are carved out of the subterranean sandstone, where the temperature maintains a cool 23C (75F) year round. Here you will find homes, churches, restaurants, bars and churches, located deep underground without natural light and air flow.
The desolate landscape formed the perfect setting for the 1985 movie “Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome”.
