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Documentary about the opal town Coober Pedy, in the middle of the South Australian desert. From 1915 on, adventurers came here in search of a huge block of opal. A big hit could earn millions. Only few achieved this goal, but the freebooters often keep hoping in spite of themselves. Many became stranded by chance in dry and deserted Coober Pedy and found a freebooters' community with its own unwritten laws. Ninety percent are poor, ten percent are rich. Far from the inhabited world, Hans Heijnen found a collection of misfits, desperados, losers and survivors. Some have placed their faith in 'noodlen': waste from successful opal claims yield remnants that are sold cheaply. Bankruptcy is not always a reason to leave.