Mount Isa - the mining city

 
 
 
 

The drive to Mt Isa on Monday was another 400km event – we arrived at about 2:30pm and had things set-up quite quickly (we are getting pretty organised with that). First, we went to the shops to restock on the vitals (mince meat for nachos and white chocolate for Mum) and then the kids were determined to go in the pool (it was 28-30 deg in the shade) so, despite our discouragement, they went in. So we were swimming in a swimming pool in June – that’s an achievement !!!

Today we had a leisurely start, and then off to the underground hospital which was built in 1942 when the Japanese were bombing Darwin and Townsville and there was a concern that Mt Isa’s mines would be another target – thankfully this was not realised and the hospital was never used except for emergency drills. It has been restored to its original 1942 condition by volunteers with much period medical instruments.

Next, we took a short 15km drive out to Lake Moondarra and had a lovely, relaxing picnic lunch, by which time it was a very tolerable 32 deg C. We are fairly sure that this lake was man made, but it stands out as a little oasis in the middle of a very arid and dry landscape. There was a wonderful park where we stopped for lunch – lush green grass, trees everywhere, playground equipment, BBQs, and abundant bird life (peacocks, kookaburras, eagles, parrots and cockatiels). James (and Dad) have become taken particularly with the eagles and found an eagle’s nest in one of the eucalyptus trees. We think it was a family (mainly the chicks) that kept soaring and returning to the tree – in any case, it was spectacular to see these birds so close in the wild. The eagles in this area are by far the most common bird, about as frequently seen as a magpie back home.

Lastly we dropped into the city lookout and it is blatantly clear that the city has been built around the mine.

That pretty much rounds out Mt Isa and we will be off to the Northern Territory (Tennant Creek) tomorrow, after an obligatory stop at a great coffee shop we found this morning (best nectar we have found for 3,200km) !!!