PetalliTravellers: The Big Lap - Week 3

Week three started in Julia Creek. The camp in Julia Creek is a free RV camp on the river and is hosted by happy campers. We were surprised to see only three vans there – another place that we have always found full.I guess with Covid less people are now travelling. We haven’t seen many caravans on the road – or road kill or live native animals either.

Julia Creek was very hot, very hot – reaching 37 degrees C with little breeze. The camp hosts were great, they had us check in with the Covid app, and we had the best happy hour(s) we have had for a while. Also the most beautiful sunsets.

We had planned 3-4 days here but after showing Jonnie around town:- the Mosaic chair, way too hot to sit on.

 

the wonderful Light Brigade War Memorial;

and visiting the WW2 communication bunkers,

and although there was more to show Jonnie, we decided to head off after only two nights as it was so hot at night.Our first stop was at Cloncurry to buy bread for lunch and then we went up to the Cloncurry Museum and Information Centre for lunch. We wanted to show Jonnie the old buildings that had been moved from Mary Kathleen mining town – our next stop. We have been to Mary Kathleen before, but we have never stayed over, nor have we gone to the old uranium mine to see the beautiful blue water.This time we camped in the town centre (free camp) and unhitched and drove down to the mine site. This is an open cut mine that now has a pool of water at the bottom. The road out was very rough and confusing, and once we got to the mine it was a 10 minute walk to the mine view. The water was not as blue as any of the photos we have seen, and the road was very rough, but we have done it now.

The area was first settled in the 1860's and it wasn't until 1954 that Clem Walton and Norm McConachy found a significant amount of uranium, that the town was formed. The mining rights were called Mary Kathleen Uranium Ltd, after McConachy's late wife Mary Kathleen. The company produced Uranium-oxide for the United Kingdon Atomic Energy Authority. The town, the mine, Corella Dam and the treatment centre were all completed between 1956-58. The rights to mine were sold to Rio Tinto and the town grew quickly. The mine closed in 1963, and people started to move out. It re-opened in 1974 when new contracts were obtained. It closed for the second time at the end of 1982, and the last inhabitants left in 1984. The entire town was dismantled and sent to Cloncurry and Mount Isa. 

The town of Mary Kathleen was located 6 kms from the mine site and had all the amenities: post office, school, shops, canteen, pub, and even a cinema. Up the road across the river were sporting facilities and a officers club.Mary Kathleen is well worth a visit. Take a photo of the informative notice boards to help as you walk around the foundations of what was there. 

It was a short drive to Mount Isa and we decided to stay in a caravan park with power and a pool. The park was nice, big sites and free laundry and a sort of restaurant. The park also caters for the miners so the restaurant has a different 3 course dinner each night for a set price. Cost per night was $30, and we thought that was good value, especially being on power and able to use the air-conditioner and a pool.

The original inhabitants of Mount Isa were the Kalkatungu peoples. The area was famous for stone axes that the local peoples made. In 1923 John Campbell Miles picked up some rocks and knew because of their weight they were something important. The rocks turned out to be 78% lead-silver. He had discovered the world's richest zinc-lead seams. He named his mining rights land Mount Isa, and the Mount Isa Mines Ltd was established in 1924. It was sold to Glencore in 2013. Today Mount Isa Mines has 4 mine sites, a mixture of open cut and underground mines.

We went to the Outback at Isa Information Centre, and were a little disappointed. The two staff were uninterested in helping anyone and we ended up walking away from the info desk. I remember our first visit here and how helpful the staff were. Shame it was not this time.

Jonnie wanted to go to the Underground Hospital so we did and it was really informative. We learnt so much about the threat of Japanese invasion as far inland as Mount Isa, and the reason for the underground hospital.

The hospital was build by civilians and off duty miners in a matter of weeks. It consists of three parallel tunnels connected by a long tunnel. 

We drove out to the beautiful Lake Moondarra, 19 kms from Mount Isa and about 10km from our caravan park for a picnic lunch. This an artificial recreation lake on the Leichhardt River established in 1956. The Aboriginal name means 'plenty of rain and thunder'.

We stocked up on groceries again and we were off for our last stop in Queensland – Camoonweal on the NT/Qld border.

We stopped at the free camp just north west of Mt Isa where we stayed at last time we were here. We wanted to show Jonnie some of the history of Australia during WWII.

At Camooweal Billabongs, another spot we have stayed in before, we camped right beside the second billabong. This free camp is about 10kms from the main highway and situated on the Georgina River, it is peaceful and full of birdlife.

Peter and Jonnie went to look for Camooweal Caves, but couldn’t find them.Camooweal is technically a suburb of Mount Isa,even though it is 189 kms away.

 

Just so peaceful here.

 

On the Road Again – Heading Far West

Leaving Julia Creek and heading to Cloncurry info centre, we were surprised by the changing landscape. This is obviously mining country. First stop was the Mary Kathleen Memorial Park, which is also where the information centre is. There is a picnic area, toilets and plenty of room for caravans. At the info centre there is a display of mining and farm equipment from Mary Kathleen. It also has the relocated Mary Kathleen Police Station. Very interesting.

In 1861 Burke and Wills were the first known Europeans to come to the area on their way to the Gulf. Burke named the river Cloncurry after his cousin Elizabeth Cloncurry in Ireland. In 1867 Ernest Henry came to the area in search of grazing land, and instead found copper and established the Great Australian Mine. The town was surveyed in 1876 and was named after the river.

Cloncurry has many 'firsts'. Cloncurry is where the first official Flying Doctor flight took off from in 1928. Established by Presbyterian Reverend John Flynn, today the John Flynn Place commemorates the history of the Flying Doctor Service as well the changing landscape of Cloncurry, and many real and replica exhibits. In 1929, Cloncurry had the worlds first household pedal radio. In 1960, Queensland's first School of the Air was established at Cloncurry. Cloncurry is also the home of the original first QANTAS hanger, and it is still used today.

Leaving Cloncurry we stopped at Burke and Wills memorial which commemorates the explorers passing this point in 1861.

Just a little further up the road is a historic Aboriginal Marker, which acknowledges the ancient tribal lands of the Kalkadoon “Honour their name be brother and sister to their descendants.”

We decided to look at Corella Dam and Clem Walton Park. We read in Wiki Camps not to be intimidated by the gate – so we opened the gate and went through, followed by another happy camper. So many caravans in this large area. We met people that were staying 6 weeks. It is private property and the farmer doesn't mind travellers, as long as travellers don't mind his cows. There are no facilities, except at the two day use only areas which are a distance away to walk – about 15 minutes on bad split tracks by car. We eventually found a good spot with water views and decided to stay the night – we will visit Mary Kathleen ghost town in the morning. Corella Dam was put in place by the owners of Mary Kathleen mine as a water source for the mining process. The dam also provided weekend recreation for the families living at Mary Kathleen.

Situated a short distance along the highway from Corella Dam is Mary Kathleen Ghost Town. Mary Kathleen is just over 62km from Cloncurry, and 56km from Mt Isa. After going in the main gate we turned right, off the bitumen, to a dirt track between two small concrete pillars that took us down to one of the residential areas of Mary Kathleen. If one wants to see the mine, which we were told is spectacular, it is about a further 7k along the bitumen which deteriorates into a bad dirt track – don't take your van. About another 10 km will take one to the mine that is still in use.

Mary Kathleen was so interesting – walking around trying to work out what everything was. A syndicate of men, including Clem Walton and Norm McConachy, looking for uranium in the Cloncurry area in 1954, came across a dry creek where one of their trucks had broken down. While waiting for the truck to be repaired one of the men turned on his Geiger Counter which immediately gave high readings in the area. Leases were pegged out and the deposit was named Mary Kathleen in memory of the wife of McConachy, who had died shortly before the expedition. The mined uranium was shipped to Britian via trucks to Cloncurry, and then train and ship to Britain. The town quickly grew and contained a cafeteria, stores, recreation room, library, P.O., medical centre, police station and fire station etc. The mine was closed in 1984 due to the over supply of uranium and the town was sold soon after.

Now all that is left of the town is the foundations of the buildings. We met some lovely people, Sam and Eunice, and spent way too much time talking to them, so didn't get to walk around all the town – maybe next time! This is a free camp with no facilities, and one needs to be self-contained. There is a really good video explaining the history of the find and the town at the Mt Isa Information Centre.

From Mary Kathleen we drove to Mt Isa and the Info centre where Peter had booked an underground mine tour. I happily watched TV and did some blog and some sewing.

I didn't find out a lot of history about Mt Isa. We really were not there long enough. However, the Visitor Information Centre is worth a visit. Called “Outback Isa” it houses not only the tour for the Hard Times Underground Mine – which Peter said was good value and interesting ($70 seniors). It was named after a horse owned by the founding father, John Campbell Miles. The Centre also has free Wi-Fi, toilets, showers, cafe, tour bookings, caravan parking, and free water (if you want bore water). I had the best tasting chocolate milk-shake, although it was rather small for the $6.70 that I was charged, and I actually finished it while waiting for my ham and cheese croissant ($6.50). Probably wont eat there again. Mt Isa has a lot of fast food outlets, one on the next block. Really want to eat at the Buffs Club!! We filled up our gas bottle and continued onto WWII Memorial Site. We didn't spend a lot of time in Mt Isa – it was Sunday and most shops were closed. I'm sure there is a lot more to see in Mt Isa.