The reality TV show Stars on Mars was filmed in Coober Pedy, a town in South Australia known for its unique desert landscape that closely resembles the surface of Mars. Coober Pedy's red sands, lunar-like terrain, and distinctive geological features made it an ideal location to simulate the Martian environment for the show. The town is also famous as the "opal capital of the world" and is notable for its underground homes called "dugouts," which help residents cope with extreme temperatures
. The production was supported by the South Australian Film Corporation and the Australian Federal Location Incentive, and the setting has been praised for its authenticity, with some critics comparing it to images sent back by NASA's Curiosity Rover
. William Shatner, the show's host, described filming in Coober Pedy as "out of this world" and said it felt like they were truly on Mars
