23 October 2011 - Argylla Tourist Park, Mt Isa, Queensland

Forty hours later and we are now anticipating the final Rugby World Cup game. You might think our life has revolved around this six week-long event in New Zealand, but it is not really so, and certainly not as it has for some we know. I am sure there will be great cricket tests and tennis grand slams and cycling tours that will fill the void for sports fans, however it is the rugby that has captured me over the last little while, and for me, not a sports fan at all, that is really something.

Of course we did watch the Wallabies victory over Wales on Friday night and were pleased with the result. Interestingly, nowhere but a brief mention on the news, did we hear further about it. For Australia, rugby is over and out for the time being and I suspect we might be among a minority hanging on to our screens this afternoon.

But enough, for now….

Yesterday morning we drove into town and booked a mine tour, the only one now available here in Mount Isa, that with Hard Times Mine, a purpose built underground mine, constructed 20 metres beneath the Information Centre and museum. Apparently Xstrata Mt Isa Mine used to run tours for tourists and anyone else interested, however about eight years ago, a woman broke her leg whilst on the tour and sued the company. I have no idea of the financial outcome, however the whole fuss and bother, and no doubt the cost of the law suit, persuaded the mining company to put an end to the tours. Thank you Lady Tourist!!!

Pressure was put on the company soon after and it was agreed that the mine would construct this dummy mine here in the town, investing $16 million or so in the project. There are about 1.2 kilometres of tunnels with all the fans, electrics, pneumatics, and machinery that a real mine has. The equipment in the mines is authentic but obsolete. It all works and is of the era when the guide, Bill, worked his 33 years in the mine.

After an early lunch we returned to the centre and set off with Bill and his eight year old grandson, Trent, a worthy apprentice tour guide. We were kitted out with orange paper jumpsuits, complete with front zippers, gumboots, one marked red and the other green, orange helmets, heavy belts from which we hung a heavier battery to power our headlights. Bill was similarly dressed however Trent’s token gesture toward the safety requirements was sneakers and helmet. Obviously the costume had more to do with the dramatic experience and less to do with regulation.

We were shown various pieces of retired machinery on the surface then taken to the shaft lift, photos taken, then told that the brake on the lift mechanism was unfortunately faulty and we would be driven down into the mine. Personally I think the lift has never been operational but then maybe I am just a sceptic.

In the mine we were led about from one tunnel to another to experience and see the equipment that had been used to dig the tunnel, would have taken us from the shaft had it been working and pretended to drill holes with a real pneumatic drill. At one point we were asked to all switch our lights off and experience the absolute silent darkness when the lights all go off. I, who do not like enclosed spaces, was captured by the whole experience, asked questions as I always do, probably driving the other tourists mad, and found out that Trent’s ninth birthday was just six days away. Because of my claustrophobia, I had not been hell bent on doing the tour however Chris was keen, so I went along, and as always, was so very pleased I had. We would recommend this tour to all visitors of Mt Isa, after all, mining is what Mt Isa is all about.

In 1923 John Campbell Miles discovered rich mineral ore in these Selwyn Ranges. It took some years and a few ownership changes before the mine showed a profit. Silver, lead, copper and zinc are all mined here and it was the more intensive copper extraction and export that turned the business around in the years of the Second World War. Initially there was the mine town on the western side of the Leichardt River and the other town across the river; and then as the mine expanded, all residences and the town business was moved to the Eastern side. With unity at last, the town has thrived and is a city with all the services you could expect in the outback. It does still however close on Sundays except for the IGA just up the road from the camp.

Today we set off up to Lake Moondarra, 16 kilometres north west of the city, the manmade reservoir on the Leichardt River first operational in 1958. Interestingly it was constructed by an American company, Utah Construction. Prior to the dam, Mt Isa had sourced its water from a series of bores on the bed of the Leichardt River and the Rifle Creek dam. The information regarding the construction of the dam speaks of the rocky gorge of the river, and while the word gorge is not one that springs to mind when one considers this area, it must indeed be so, because there are numerous islands in the lake and the hills around the side of the lake are rocky and rugged if not terribly high.

Lake Moondarra

There is a considerable area around the lake that is available for the enjoyment of the Mt Isa population. We enjoyed a picnic lunch under a well-constructed and particularly clean shelter, in the company of dozens of gallahs and one lone peewee. Later we drove further around the lake and saw the areas put aside for water ski clubs and the like, and did a short walk from where we had lovely views over the lake and the recreational areas. Along the path were excellent interpretive panels giving details of the trees and again I realised that a gum is not necessarily a gum, and that the huge wealth of information, botanical, nutritional and medicinal that was carried in the heads of the aboriginal people when they roamed this expanse was far more than I could ever begin to absorb and retain.

We called in to the one open supermarket on our return and stocked up with what we could in anticipation of the next stage of our journey. Up to this time and even then, we had swung from one decision to the next regarding the direction we would take. We were agreed however that we would head either east or west rather than take the road south which, if followed diligently, would have eventually taken us to Burke, hundreds and hundreds of dirt road to see the famous pub.