Mount Isa, Queensland - Australian city (2023)

The famous silver, lead and zinc mining town, known as the 'inland oasis'.

Mount Isa is the largest municipality in western Queensland. This is a city of self-confidence and dynamic mining. Mining is the town's raison d'être and while it dominates the skyline and local economy, Mount Isa feels like little more than just another mining pit. It's a hub of quality accommodation, great restaurants and plenty of activities to keep even the most enthusiastic traveler busy for a week.
Mount Isa boasts of being the largest city in the world. The point of contention is that the city covers 43,188 square kilometres, while the 189km road from Mount Isa to Camooweal is the longest urban road in the world.
The attractions in the area are truly outstanding: underground mining tours are still available, visit an underground hospital created during World War II, see what a mining/company house looked like in the 1930s and visit the excellent National Turf Park Mountain.

Position

Mount Isa is located 1,823 kilometers north-west of Brisbane, passing Toowoomba and Longreach. It is located 904 kilometers west of Townsville, 160 kilometers from the Northern Territory border, at an elevation of 356 metres.

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origin of the name

John Campbell Miles discovered the silver, lead and zinc deposits that led to the formation of Mount Isa and named the settlement in 1923 after the gold deposits at Mount Ida in Western Australia. He never explained why he changed 'Ida' to 'Isa'.

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things to see and do

interior of isau
It's a great stopover destination, offering visitors a Visitor Information Center (for bookings and brochures), the opportunity to book a tour of Hard Times Mine, an indoor park, the Isa Experience, the Riversleigh Fossil Center and a coffee museum .

experience
This unusual exhibition explores the essence of Mt Isa: its cultural diversity, its mining history, the culture of the Aboriginal Kalkadoon, its daily life, through theatrical performances, exhibits and an indoor park (with lagoons and waterfalls and lagoon trails ) and the Mount Isa Fish Hatchery Stocking Group.

Hard Times Mine Tour
Mount Isa is one of the few mines in the country where tourists can still take underground tours. The tour runs 7 days a week and can be booked at the Visitor Information Centre. The tour guide is a man who has been a miner for most of his life. Visitors are given t-shirts and lights with a hat before entering the mine in an Alimak cage. Along the way, guides tell stories of mining and the problems faced by those working deep underground. Tours include tunnels formed and shaped by drilling and scouring equipment. Visitors can see the machinery in use and can also operate the air drill and watch the blast surface being fired. Tour organizers advise participants to wear "light, loose clothing: T-shirt and shorts and don't forget a pair of socks. Extra clothes and boots will be provided." During high season, tours are usually booked two months in advance. Call (07) 4749 1555 or checkhttp://www.mietv.com.au/Outback-at-Isa/Hard-Times-Mine.aspx.

Riversley Fossil Center
The Riversleigh Fossil Center at 19 Marianne Street is part of the Isa Outback Experience and aims to introduce visitors to the fossils found in the Riversleigh Fossil Field in Lawn Mountain National Park, once part of Fosley Station, 250km north of Mt Isa. . Everything from the teeth of a bat to the bones of a giant ancient flightless birdDromornoreste- The predecessor of the EMU. The fossils are displayed as dioramas and presented to illustrate discoveries in one of the richest fossil fields in the world. The Riversleigh fossil is a window into the development of the early mammalian megafauna on the Australian continent over the past 30 million years. The center is open daily from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. verifyhttp://www.mietv.com.au/Outback-at-Isa/Riversleigh-Fossil-Centre.aspxto find out more information.

Mount Isa Underground Hospital and Museum
Mount Isa Underground Hospital Located behind Mount Isa Hospital on Camooweal Street (above Joan Street), Mount Isa Underground Hospital was built in 1942 in response to the Japanese threat. The Queensland Heritage List explains the historical context: "The Mount Isa Underground Hospital, built in March/April 1942 on the premises of the Mount Isa Regional Hospital, built by off-duty miners from the Mount Isa mine. Structure built by the Mount Isa Area Designed by the hospital's director, Dr Edward Joseph Ryan. Construction work was supervised by Wally Onton, an underground foreman at the Mount Isa Mines. The Pacific War hit the coast of Australia on 19 February 1942. Darwin was captured of four aircraft carriers in the Timor Sea were bombed by planes on board in a few days, Timor fell to Japan, the Australian cruiser HMASPerthShe was sunk in a naval battle in the Java Sea, while Broome, Derby and Windham in Western Australia and Port Moresby in New Guinea were bombed by Japanese aircraft.
"The threat to Mount Isa appears very real as there appears to be little military opposition in Northern Australia following the destruction of the cities of Darwin and Western Australia. The Mount Isa copper mine is seen as an invaluable strategic resource and is recognized as one of the world's large deposits of copper, lead, zinc and silver, it was thought that, like the Japanese-controlled tin fields and rubber plantations in Malaya and the oil fields in Borneo, the Mount Isa mine was a potential target for invasion forces and air raids.In response to the perceived threat, Dr. Edward Ryan decided to take precautionary measures to protect Mount Isa District Hospital from air raids.by Subway Foreman Wally Onton While overseeing the project, the company supplied all the equipment for the project, which was volunteered by miners from Mt Isa. Drilling, blasting and cleaning were mostly completed within two weeks, with equipment costing a few extra hours. The work took place between March and April 1942, during which tunnels of approximately 100 m were excavated. For more details seehttps://environment.ehp.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/detail/?id=601102.
heQueensland's Second World War Historic Siteswebsite (http://www.ww2places.qld.gov.au/places/?id=975) Note: "Restoration work from 1997 to 2001 restored the tunnel to what it looked like in 1942, based on old photographs. Some of the original furniture has been reinstalled from storage elsewhere on the hospital grounds. Beth Anderson Museum Visitor Basement Access hospital south entrance and central entrance exit. The north entrance remains closed and has not been rebuilt." From April to September, the museum is open daily from 10:00 am. to 2:00 p.m. Phone: 0407 514 918.

scene
Historically, the Mount Isa set was located on Fourth Avenue, but moved in 2014. It is now in the same space as the Municipal Museum and Underground Hospital. A legal statement at the time of its construction in 1937 explained that it was "a three-room house, galvanized iron walls and drum roof, galvanized iron roof, iron clapboards, clapboards and floors. House valued at £30, plus a bathroom and shed The construction of this style of low-cost housing began at Mount Isa Mines in 1932. The miners lived in very primitive conditions and J. L. Urquhart, interested in mining companies, began to develop Mount Isa as a company town. His first act was to build housing with low rent reasonable quality. The thermal barriers and simple design were a huge improvement over the original miners' dormitories. These houses were vital to the development of Mt Isa. They played a vital role in making the town It wasn't just mining that played a role mining.

Notice
Located on Lookout Road, Hilary Street, City Lookout offers panoramic views of Mt Isa, not only giving visitors an orientation but also providing excellent photo opportunities. At night, the lookout is a welcome plus, as the lights from streetlights and mine shafts make Mt Isa look beautiful. The sunsets are also spectacular.

Mount Isa Aviation School
Mount Isa Aviation School is located at 137-143 Abel Smith Parade (east of the city centre) and was opened in 1964 to meet the needs of children in remote Western Queensland. By 2001, 230 students from 120 families were enrolled in the school. Most families live in stations within a 450km radius of Mt Isa. The average class size is 7 people (ideally a class should be between 5-10 people) and each lesson usually lasts 30 minutes. There are 5 studies and 5 study sessions that can be done simultaneously. School inspections available: open from 10:00am. to 5:00 p.m. rice. to 3:00 p.m. Guided tours take place at 10:00 am. rice. Contact the Mount Isa Visitor Information Centre, Isa Outback, 19 Marian Street, Tel: (07) 4749 1555.

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Other attractions in the area

Moon Dala Lake
Located 17 kilometers north of the city center is the Mundara Reservoir lake, formed by a dam on the Leichhardt River. It supplies water from the Mt Isa mine and the town. It was built between 1956 and 1958 at a cost of $1.7 million, funded by Mount Isa Mines. Today it is a popular picnic and recreation destination, with ski jumps, punts, water sports facilities, large barramundi and black bass (it is home to the Lake Moondarra Barramundi Fishing Classic).

Cloncurry - Mount Isa Highway
The road from Cloncurry to Mount Isa is rugged and dramatic. The area appears to be similar to the MacDonnell Ranges in central Australia. The reason for this is that, like the MacDonnells, the Selwyn Ranges are very old. These mountains have been eroded to the bone, causing their beds to twist erratically in a thousand different directions. The people on Mount Isa will tell you that these mountains are the oldest exposed land on Earth, and you will be inclined to believe them. Clem Walton Park (on the main road between Cloncurry and Mt Isa) has a lovely pond with lots of birds.

Turf Mountain State Park
Located 315 kilometers north of Mount Isa, Lawn Mountain Canyon is one of the wonders of the Savannah Bay region. Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park has a real inner magic. It is hundreds of kilometers from any city and is a beautiful and quiet place. Kayak along Lawn Hill Canyon surrounded by cabbage palms, pandanus, eucalyptus and water lilies, then dive into the crystal clear waters of Indari Falls, a reminder of the pristine perfection of this little-known wonderland.
The highlight of Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park is the 60m high Turf Hill Gorge, which has been occupied by Aboriginal people for at least 30,000 years. Erosion caused by underground streams has created a beautiful oasis of clear fresh water, red rocks and green vegetation. You can hire canoes and there are some nice swimming spots along the river.
Located in the remote highlands of North West Queensland, the park includes world heritage gorges, sandstone ridges and fossils.
Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park lies in the ancient sandstone of the Constance Range, between the Barkley Plateau to the south-west and the black soil of the Savannah Bay Plain to the east. Lawn Hill Creek and the Gregory and O'Shanassy Rivers flow year-round, contrasting with the dry and hot landscape during the dry season.

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history

* Prior to European settlement, the area was occupied by the Kalkadoon First Nations people.

* The Kalkadoon Aborigines resisted the arrival of pastoralists in the 1870s and early 1880s.

* Copper has been mined in the area since the 1880s.

* Aboriginal resistance ended when local police and white settlers retaliated with bloody massacres in 1884.

* Falling copper prices in the early 1920s led to the closure of the company.

* In February 1923, prospector John Campbell Miles discovered large deposits of silver, lead and zinc.

* In the months following February 1923, Cloncurry filed more than 500 claims, but these were gradually consolidated into two large companies.

* Mount Isa Mines Ltd was established in 1924.

* There is a school at the end of 1924, part of the land has been measured. The local post office opened that year.

* By 1925, Mount Isa Mines Ltd had taken over all the leases for the field.

* Segregation and lack of amenities proved an early problem, so Mount Isa Mines began building a company town with low-rent housing and amenities in 1927.

* The railway arrived from Townsville in 1929. The Catholic Church was sent by the Duchess that year.

* By 1929, Mount Isa Mining Limited owned 370 hectares in the area.

* The cost of developing the mine in such a remote location was too high for the original Australian and British shareholders, and in the mid-1930s the US Smelting and Refining Corporation dominated production by providing millions of dollars to complete the processing plant and start the construction.

*By 1932, the cost of setting up the mine had reached around £4 million.

* Profit not accrued until 1937.

* In 1942, when a particularly large copper mine was discovered, the Australian government encouraged its exploitation amid strategic wartime material shortages.

* Mount Isa Mines Ltd's first dividend was paid in 1947.

* In 1948, Mount Isa Mines Ltd built a pool for the town.

* Copper was the main source of income in the 1950s.

* In 1955, Mount Isa Mines was the largest mining company in the world.

* In 1956 he opened a motel.

* In 1958 the Leichhardt River was dammed into Lake Moondarra, providing a guaranteed water supply for the town and mine.

* In 1960, the main hospital with 80 beds was completed.

* In the early 1960s, large areas of the Mount Isa housing complex were removed because they were in useful ores.

* In 1964, the Royal Flying Doctors moved their headquarters from Cloncurry to Mount Isa.

* Major industrial action took place in 1964-65. The dispute became so heated that the Queensland government declared martial law in the city.

* Mount Isa was declared a city in 1968.

*The local civic center opened in 1974.

* In 1976, more than 40 percent of the city's workforce worked in the mines.

* Today, Mount Isa is one of the most mechanized and profitable mines in the world. Owned by Glencore.

*Glencore acquired the Mount Isa mine in 2013. It now employs 20 percent of the Mount Isa workforce.

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visitor information

Outback en Isa Visitor Centre, 19 Marian Street, tel: (07) 4749 1555.

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useful pages

There is a useful local website you can visithttp://www.mietv.com.au.

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