Manguri Siding – Coober Pedy. Day 3

Friday 9^th May 2025

It was a smoother ride last overnight. The train track has better foundations in South Australia, so we were rocked to sleep. Upon waking we found ourselves in some serious desert country. Manguri Siding is in the middle of nowhere, however after breakfast 5 sparkling white 50-seater coaches (all branded  “The Ghan”) arrived to whisk us away on our various excursions. First stop was the Breakaways, a landscape of flat-topped mesas that once overlooked an ancient sea. Then it was off to Coober Pedy, the underground town well known for its opal mining. We visited the Serbian Orthodox Church carved out of the earth complete with many stained-glass windows. At the Quest Mine we clambered underground and found our lunch location before visiting the Umoona Opal and Museum. We were able to walk through a dugout home and heard the stories from one of the local on what it is like to live in Coober Pedy. It really it another world and a vastly different way of life.

 

Back at the Siding we were greeted by the hospitality staff with drinks and canapes to celebrate the sunset. We boarded the train and dressed for dinner to enjoy our last evening.