Opal noodling in Coober Pedy

Can you find opal in Coober Pedy?

Yes. Visitors find small pieces of opal by noodling through the mullock at the free Public Noodling Area and at Old Timers Mine. Most finds are chips, not gems.

Coober Pedy has been mined since February 1915, and the opal fields around town are covered in mullock heaps, the pale cones of rock dug out of the shafts. Miners sort for opal underground and with machines, but small pieces get through. Small chips with a flash of colour are the usual reward.

Big finds do happen in the mines. The Olympic Australis, 17,000 carats, came from the Eight Mile field in August 1956. Visitors should expect something far smaller, and enjoy it anyway.

What is the difference between noodling and fossicking?

Noodling means sifting through mullock on the surface for opal. Fossicking is the legal term for gathering opal as a recreation, by hand, to a maximum depth of 1 metre.

The South Australian Department for Energy and Mining defines fossicking as gathering precious stones such as opal as a recreation, without the intention to sell them. Machinery and explosives are out. Holes can go down 1 metre at most and must be filled in afterwards. Noodling at the Public Noodling Area or at Old Timers Mine is the easy way to stay inside those rules.

Selling is a different matter: the department's definition covers recreation only, and commercial opal mining in South Australia runs under its own permits and registered claims.

Where is the Public Noodling Area in Coober Pedy?

Off Jeweller's Shop Road, close to town. It is free, with interpretive signs, shade and picnic tables, and the council calls it a safe place to dig for your own opal.

The District Council of Coober Pedy set aside the area so visitors can noodle without wandering onto working claims or near open shafts. Bring a small rake or a garden trowel, a sieve if you have one, a bucket, gloves and plenty of water. Wear enclosed shoes, a hat and 50+ sunscreen: the mullock is bright and the heat builds by mid-morning.

Go early or late. The low sun helps, because opal flashes when light hits it at an angle. Turn over the stones slowly, look for any glint of colour, and check the potch, the common opal without colour, for a seam of the good stuff.

Can you noodle at Old Timers Mine?

Yes. Old Timers Mine has free noodling pits for visitors, next to the self-guided 1916 mine and museum. Entry is A$15 for adults.

Old Timers Mine is a good first stop because you see opal in the walls before you look for it outside. The mine opens from 9am; the council's 2026 brochure lists a 3pm close while other listings say 5pm, so check on the day. Prices are A$15 for adults, A$12.50 concession, A$5 for children 5 to 16 and A$40 for a family.

Both 7-day camping tours stop here: the Adelaide to Uluru tour on day three, with the chance to noodle before the night underground, and the Uluru to Adelaide tour on the morning of day five.

Old Timers Mine, a go at noodling and a night in an underground dorm, on seven days from Adelaide to Uluru with park fees included. Free cancellation up to 7 days before.

★ 4.9 · 7 days · from $1,258

Explore the 7-day camping trip from Adelaide → Tour details

What are the rules for fossicking on the Coober Pedy opal fields?

Hand tools only, 1 metre deep at most, fill every hole, keep off registered claims and signed danger areas, never enter old workings, and do not camp on the fields.

These come from the Department for Energy and Mining's "Fossicking for opal" sheet. Registered claims are marked by corner posts with a permit number, and entering one without the owner's permission is an offence. Dangerous ground is signed "Danger - Unsafe Ground" or marked with red posts.

Is noodling in Coober Pedy safe for children?

At the Public Noodling Area and Old Timers Mine, with close supervision, yes. On the open opal fields, no: the state says the fields are no place for children.

The open fields are dotted with shafts, unstable edges and working machinery, and the state warns that a fall into a shaft or open cut can cause serious injury or death. The Department for Energy and Mining's advice: look where you put your feet, never walk backwards, and always climb a heap on the side away from the shaft opening. Tell someone where you are going, and carry water: it warns of up to 50°C in summer.

For emergencies, dial 000. Coober Pedy Mine Rescue and the SES answer on 132 500. The camping tours are for ages 12 and up, and the Painted Desert day tour from age 5.

Can you go down a working opal mine in Coober Pedy?

Yes, on a guided tour. Tom's Opal Mine runs tours at 10am and 1:30pm, Riba's runs an evening mine tour from 7pm, and Umoona's guided tours run three times a day.

Tom's guided tour lasts about 1 hour 30 minutes, A$40 for adults and A$15 for children 4 to 17, or A$15 self-guided. Riba's Evening Opal Mine Tour runs daily from 7pm to 8:30pm, A$28 for adults, with a minimum of five people. At Umoona the 45-minute tours run at 10am, 2pm and 4pm; on Mondays and Fridays only the 4pm tour is open to the public. All prices are from the council's 2026 brochure.

Some local operators also take visitors to noodle on a private claim. For the rest of the town, see our guide to things to do in Coober Pedy.

How do you buy opal in Coober Pedy?

From the opal shops and galleries in town. Ask whether a stone is solid, a doublet or a triplet, and get a written description with the price.

A solid opal is one piece of natural stone. A doublet is a thin slice of opal glued to a dark backing, and a triplet adds a clear cap on top; both cost much less and are fine as long as you know what you are paying for. Look at the stone in daylight and turn it slowly: brightness and the play of colour matter more than size.

Shops on and around Hutchison Street sell everything from rough chips to set jewellery, and the Coober Pedy Experience Motel has a gift shop that sells opal. The Explorer's Way tours stop at Josephine's Gallery, known for its Aboriginal art as well as its rescued joeys.

Frequently asked questions