Outback Queensland Trip 2024, Day 11: Rest day in Mt Isa

In Kalkadoon or Kalkatungu Country

Being a silver-linings person, I like to look for the positives in a situation, so here goes…. The tour’s plan for the full day in Mount Isa (to “the Isa”) was

“This morning we enjoy a town tour before visiting ‘Outback at Isa’ home to a vast array of tourism attractions.

First, we’ll take an underground tour of the Hard Times Mine. Then visit the unique Riversleigh Fossil Centre which interprets the World Heritage Listed fossil sites at Riversleigh. There is also an art gallery, the ‘Isa Experience’ exhibit and a fish hatchery project.”

Now, it was suggested to us that as the days get bigger from here on, we might take the opportunity have a quiet day to help our recuperation. No pressure was put, and our tour leaders are very diplomatic, but we decided that everyone might like a break from worrying about our unclean selves. If we’re not there, the concerned ones can have a break from wearing masks, for a start. I would have liked to do the mine tour, as it sounded like an interesting experience, but here are the silver linings:

• we could take things at our pace which meant having breaks whenever we felt like it;
• it gave me an opportunity to trip a little down memory lane rather than having to jam it all into a couple of hours in the afternoon, after the tour’s planned activities; 
• we could get some washing done without competition; and
• we could stock up on chemist supplies (paracetamol, et al).

What I loved about my memory-lane tripping was how accurate my memory was about where things were. So much has changed – like our house being replaced by a McDonald’s carpark, as I’ve already said – but much is still the same. Roads have been slightly re-routed and businesses have changed names or moved but my old ballet school still exists, as a dance studio, in the same funny little building in town. The ridge where we played forts is still there. The  red and white copper smelter chimney – the Stack – is still a major visible presence. The Library, which I haunted and is where I first formed the idea that I might become a librarian, is there in the same place. And so on …

My father’s bank had moved – to be very close in fact to where our house had been. Our research found that it had moved to this new location, and been refurbished two or three times, but that the “iconic mural” was still part of the branch. That’s what I wanted to see, so off we trotted only to find the branch was in the middle of being refurbished again. The security guard would not let us in, which is understandable, although it clearly wasn’t a dangerous hardhat area. However, he didn’t have that authority and I don’t think he had the language to understand what we wanted. We could see the side of the mural, on the wall just inside the entrance where the security guard was positioned. So near… and all that! When the guard didn’t seem to understand our situation, Len appealed to one of the workers to take a photo of the mural with his phone, and she was willing to do that. My father was involved in commissioning this mural, which was created by Mount Isa Mines resident artist of the time, Prague-educated graphic artist Val Pinsker. It’s made of copper, is a tribute to miners, and it still looks good, so it has clearly been cared for. My brother and I are thrilled – as would Dad be, if he were here.

Anyhow, for nearly 60 years, I have been remembering my Mount Isa days, which were very happy ones, so it was reassuring to find that the physical memories at least held up! But, I would have to say that it comes across as a functional town rather than as a beautiful one in terms of buildings and town planning. Perhaps this is because it is all about mining not tourism – as our tour leader had told us. However, surely all people deserve to live and work in attractive environments. Compared to some of the other towns we’ve been through, and country towns elsewhere, Mount Isa did feel a bit like a mish-mash of buildings erected to serve a purpose and not to grace the streets in any way. None of this, however, spoils my memories.

I need to say, though, how devastating it is to see local First Nations people appearing to be struggling in their own place, their own country, while we are living our best lives (as they say). Not all are, of course, but some certainly are, and it’s not right.

Our evening meal was held again in the hotel restaurant, and of course, again, Len and I had our romantic table for two. The food was tasty – I had a Thai Prawn Salad, followed by Grilled Barramundi with vegetables, and a decent Pavolva with berries and finely diced watermelon and rockmelon.

Today’s pics