Day 10 - Mount Isa

Day 10 - Mount Isa

Today I spent the whole day at Mount Isa. This is a mining town, it holds the biggest mine in Autralia, the mine here produces silver, lead, zinc and copper.

I visited a couple of museums today and an underground mine, which  now doubles as a museum, it holds a lot of machinery that is not used on the active mines anymore.

The first museum was one dedicated to Riversleigh, which is an area near Mt Isa where more than half of all fossils found in Oz have been found.

What I found incredible is that I am now here in what is the middle of the peak season. All the attractions are setup for a lot of people; however, there are none. I find myself mostly alone everywhere. It is clear that people are taking advantage of a very strong Aussie dollar and taking their money on overseas trips.

The entry to the fossils exhibition, I bought a ticket, but there are no queues nor staff to get in. there is only a sign at the door asking to let reception know when somebody gets in, for EH&S reasons.

Part of the exhibition itself, very interesting, but strangely, I miss the crowds

This tree is interesting, it was 'blazed', which means that it was marked with a knife. This used to be the method to indicate the way before there were roads. this particular tree was blazed during the search for Burke and Wills

A dentist dream

During the war, when Darwin was bombed, they were worried that the Japanese would bomb Mt Isa as well. So they did what they knew best, they dug a huge tunnel and they moved the hospital into it.

This is the entrance to the underground hospital

One of the rooms in the underground hospital

The Outback Park. What? you knew already?

A local waterhole

This the only photo I have of the underground mine, the experience was incredible, I saw the machines working and I even had a chance to try some of them. They are very, very noisy and dangerous. however, I was not allowed to take my camera under there and the only photo that I have is this one (they charged $10 for this photo)

Bill and Gus, miners

Some nice views of Mt Isa from the top.

All that smoke... I am told that when the wind blows towards the city, they have to stop the smelting. However, with the wind blowing away, I can still smell it

The sign at the centre of the world

 Tomorrow I am leaving with a group of people that I met at the camping, they are all doing the same thing that I am doing, going around Australia. I'll probably spend a couple of days with them, as they are going in the same direction and it would be a refreshing change to share the drive with other people.

Another view from the top

Day 9 - Winton to Mount Isa

Day 9 - Winton to Mount Isa

I thought that it is about time to put a map indicating what I've done so far. Here it is.

Sydney to Mount Isa

The nights here are very, very cold. This morning it was 6 degC




Cold, cold...



Just before leaving I saw this baby Harley.

The road leaving Winton is interesting. It starts with full vegetation and then slowly and clearly, as it approaches Cloncurry it became barren and dry.

Nice, barren landscape

Some beautiful rock formations, the one on the left, I mean.

The flat area is spotted with small short and flat mountains, the aborigines call them 'jumps'


The 'Jumps' in the horizon

After leaving Winton, thre was a sign indicasting petrol at 180km, when I arrived this service station, it's pumps were faulty (for some time apparently) and there was a caravan there that didn't think they'd make it to the next town.

Caravans in trouble

Of course I didn't have a problem, as my range is now near 600 km, so I can now even travel for a full day and will not need refuelling (i.e. Sunday).

I stopped at this very old Roadhouse, outside there were 3 huge brolgas.




The 'Blue Heeler' Roadhouse, on the Matilda Highway

Brolgas

On the way, I saw this sign, for all the ones out there that didn't believe me about the lengh of the Road Trains.

Here it is closer, in case you missed it

Termite city, a huge quantity of termite mounds, they were everywhere. Termites, anyone?

Another view of the termites

 On the way, I found this Memorial to Burke and Wills. Apparently they passed this area. The story of Burke and Wills is very close to my heart. One of the first books I read about Australia, before choosing this country as my own, was the one describing their fateful journey. since then I wanted to travel this wonderful country.

This is a memorial conmemorating Burke and Wills

When I arrived at Cloncurry, I went to visit a friend of mine that was working at the Oasis Hotel. Her name is Shelly.

Some interesting contraption at the Oasis. I would love to try one of these.

Do they have anything against the irish?

In case you are wondering; a gidgee is a type of wood found on the Acacia trees.



Finally got to the 'Isa' Apparently now I am a real aussie.

I might be a real aussie now, but I am also really tired and this night I will splurge in a bit of cabin luxury. I miss a soft comfy bed.