Coober Pedy, Australia is Mostly Underground

Go to Coober Pedy, Australia, to find what's likely to be the closest thing to a real underground community. Most of the town's structures, including residences, shops, and even the local church, were built underground when it was established as an opal mining community. Summertime highs can reach 120 degrees or higher due to its location in Australia's harsh desert. It is simpler to see why the locals started to build down rather than up when you consider what it must be like to try to be an opal miner under those circumstances.

60% of the 3,500 people that live in the town today live underground. This marks the end of a century-long journey that began when a youngster in the early 1900s found a single piece of opal on the property. The mine eventually became the largest supplier of opal in the world, but it has since almost completely dried up. Opal is still mined, but much less frequently. Locals are able to produce 70% of the town's energy using renewable sources like wind and solar due to the environment and location.