The homes became available due to owners failing to pay years of rent. Bidding opened at just £2,634 ($3.5k / AU$5.2k) on the cheapest lot and by the time the auction was over, all the properties had sold, with buyers snapping up bargains for as little as £8,418 ($11.1k / AU$16.4k).

This Jelly Crescent home, bought by one lucky bidder, is typical of the area, with corrugated metal structures above ground and the main house below.

Although the listing didn't contain any recent interior photos, this image of an underground motel room gives an idea of what to expect from cave living. The tiled floors, uneven, distinctive walls and low ceilings are typical of homes in Coober Pedy.

The extraordinary reality of living in the world's most remote places