Mount Isa

A couple of lazy days to catch up on washing, groceries and soaking up the sun. The weather has finally warmed up and we have got into shorts and we can sit out in the sun without a cold wind blowing.

Today, Wednesday, we drove out to the Mary Kathleen Mine Ruins, part way between Mt. Isa and Cloncurry. Had to pull over 10 k out of town to wait for a wide load. Three pilot vehicles stopping all traffic. We wondered what was coming and weren’t disappointed when a truck with a massive load crested the hill in front of us. Not much room on either side as it came down through the cutting. Not sure what it was but it was big and heavy. (Philip decided that it was the main part of an excavator less tracks and cab.)

Mary Kathleen was an open cut Uranium mine which operated between 1954 and 1984. Durning the first five years of its operation they extracted 4080 tonnes of Uranium Oxide and by the time the Mine was closed in 1982, 31 million tonnes of material was mined, including 7 million tonnes of ore. At the town site just before the Mine, there were shops, banks, sports fields, swimming pool, bowling green and a golf course. In 1982 1200 people called this town home. In 1985, at a cost of $19 million, this town site was Australias first Rehabilitation project of a Uranium mine. All the buildings were carted away just leaving the site empty. Great camping spots amongst the gum trees.

From here we drove on to Clem Walton Park and Lake Corella for lunch. This is another great spot and was where the Mine site drew their water from for their reticulated system. There are lots of vans and campers around the edges of the lake. We sat out and had a tailgate lunch and enjoyed the view, pelicans on the water, fish jumping and sunshine. After lunch we headed back into the Isa for a few groceries and to fuel up ready to head Karumba way tomorrow.