Andamooka

Andamooka is a very small town in the middle of the desert in South Australia, Australia. It is about 600 kilometers (373 miles) north of the city of Adelaide. It is in the Outback. The town is most famous for its opal mines. Andamooka is on Kokatha traditional land.Proving 'the knockers' wrong: Kokotha people bring new life to run-down cattle stations in northern SA ABC News, 17 February 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2024. 

 History 
Opal was first found in the area in 1930 by two men who worked on the nearby Andamooka Station. After the discovery, people came from many countries to dig for opal. They had a hard life in the dry, hot desert. Many of the early miners lived in simple houses called dugouts, which were dug into the side of hills to stay cool.

One of the most famous opals ever found in Andamooka is called the Andamooka Opal (or the Queen's Opal). It was given to Queen Elizabeth II in 1954 and is now part of the Crown Jewels. Andamooka is also famous because rare opalized fossils are found here. This means the bones of ancient animals (like dinosaurs and sea creatures) have turned into precious opal stone over millions of years.