The Coober Pedy Historical Society was inaugurated in 1989 by a group of local residents who were keen to catalogue and preserve the town’s unique history.

The Coober Pedy Historical Society is run by volunteers who maintain and preserve the town’s archives, a collection of over 4,000 documents and photos that has been recognised by the National Library of Australia as being of national significance. The Society promotes the appreciation of history through books written and published by members, articles written for the local newspaper, participation in events like the SA History Festival, Gem Trade Show and Opal Festival, and education by means of outings that are researched and presented free of charge to locals and visitors. Outings in recent years have included trips to the underground churches, old dugouts, water holes, pastoral stations, mining fields, the cemeteries and the solar distillation plant.

The Coober Pedy Historical Society acknowledges the District Council of Coober Pedy for facilitating the EDL Community Grants which have enabled us to buy a printer/scanner and a desktop computer.

We thank Umoona Opal Mine & Museum for providing us with an underground room where our archives are currently housed and with ongoing support in promoting our town’s history.