Eight hundred kms north of Adelaide South Australia, stands the small outback town of Coober Pedy.  The town is arid, flat and the heat can reach 45 degrees in the shade during summer. Coober Pedy is home to 1500 people and the majority of them live in underground homes called dugouts. These excavated hollows in the sandstone offer residents a respite from extreme conditions. The reason they exist is the same reason the town exists, opal mining.

Opal is one of the most valuable gemstones in the world. Its price can reach into the millions, depending on type, colour and weight. The gemstone was first found in Coober Pedy in 1915 leading to a mining boom, as people came in search of their fortune. It is estimated 70% of the world's opal is mined in Coober Pedy."

- Mattia Panunzio