North West Tours, QLD

North West Tours detailed interpretive tour of this amazing outback city starts with its discovery by John Campbell Miles in the early twenties and continues along to the present day. Looking at the natural fauna of the area and traditional dwellings. Taking a sneaky look at the mine before getting a photo opportunity in front of the lead smelter and bore mill. Visiting Mount Isa's train station only metres from the mine and the end of the line for "Progress and Prosper" as the rail line extension to Darwin never eventuated. Before heading back to Outback at Isa they visit Buchanan Park home to Mount Isa's world-famous Rodeo, the biggest Rodeo in the southern hemisphere.

Departing the city, travel with us out to Lake Moondarra; only 16 km from the centre of town. On the way be entertained with an informative commentary from your host. Your first stop is the lake lookout, an ideal place to gaze and admire your surroundings. Then travel with us back to the bay where drinks and a generous ploughman's platter will be served. Or choose to stretch your legs and walk the 500 metres back to the bay at your leisure.

Originally discovered in 1954 by Norm McConachy and Clem Walton, the Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine and Township were officially opened by Robert Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia and Frank Nicklin, Premier of Queensland in October 1958. In its heyday, the township had a population of 1,000 people and was situated 6 km from the working mine. The township had all the essentials that a population of that size needed - a post office, school, cinema, banks, hospital, supermarkets, swimming pool, sports grounds orchards and more. The uranium in Mary Kathleen mine was exhausted by 1981 and it was subsequently closed. Today you can still see the concrete slabs where the original buildings stood, remnants of the town’s layout and the mine itself. And if you listen carefully you may hear the distant voices of the residents as they weave through the trees on the breeze.