Next on our adventure was Mt Isa, the largest town in the northwest of Queensland. Imogen had worked and done fieldwork in and around the town, so we thought we should visit the area. The town is dominated by the chimneys, mine heads, processing plants and spoil heaps of its main industries – mining and processing lead, tin and copper.
We visited the very helpful Outback at Isa information centre and, over the course of the days in town, revisited the place for tickets to the Underground Hospital Museum, (fascinating and so well guided), museum trips (there are two great exhibits – Riversleigh and Mt Isa history) and local information. We also rocked up at the local camp draft – and looked so out of place in our camping/town clothes rather than the obligatory big hat, country shirt, denim jeans and riding boots.
A day trip to the Duchess Hotel was fun – and it must have been one of the longest drives for a steak sandwich in our history. After the Gregory Downs debacle, we phoned ahead to check there was food being served! The countryside is stunning – there would have been five dramatically different landscapes on the corrugated-road journey there and back.
Sunsets have been terrific – Lake Moondarra was particularly pretty and the City Lookout over the industrial area was unusual but with great colours.
Add comment
Comments