Page 16 - 2018 Coober Pedy Visitor Guide
P. 16
by Arid Areas Tours
Noodling
is the process of searching through heaps of discarded mullock for pieces of opal
missed by the miners. Many locals make a living from this method and it is also very
popular with tourists.
Noodling machines, in which mullock is passed through a darkroom on a conveyor belt
beneath ultra-violet lights are also used, and this is another form of mining.
Some people get lucky and find their fortune, others find little chips to keep for memories.
Have a look around town, most of the stores have little noodling pits & little bottles of
chips for purchase.
Where did the term “Noodling” come from?
Who really knows, the urban myth says that
it comes from the term “wet noodle”
A man who does not have the courage or is
not strong/powerful or ‘man’ enough to
mine for opal underground was called a
“wet noodle”. This ‘wet noodle’ looks for
opal on the surface where it is safe. So
maybe not a nice term but an amusing one! TOWN
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MAP
Coober Pedy
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