The words ‘mining town’ don’t usually conjure up pictures of a nice holiday getaway but scratch the surface of Mt Isa and you’ll find a few interesting experiences as well as a great insight into the industry that put Mt Isa on the map.

Surrounded by rugged red countryside, North West Queensland is dinosaur country and is littered with fossils. The Riversleigh Fossil Centre educates and interprets for visitors the fossils found from the nearby Riversleigh fossil fields. Research can be watched and experienced first hand during daily lab tours with the resident Palaeontologist, Dr John Scanlon.

Fossils are not the only object of value found under the surface. Mt Isa has some of the richest deposits of copper, lead, silver and zinc and is currently Australia’s deepest mine with a depth of 1,900 metres. At the Hard Times Mine Tour you’ll get an insight into mining and the chance to explore the history as the guides share their stories of the good times and the hard times that are had working deep under the earth.

Mt Isa’s attractions are not all under the earth’s surface, Lake Moondarra is the real oasis in this town and offers the locals and it’s visitors a beautiful environment to kayak, fish, or have a relaxing BBQ.

So next time you’re venturing round the top end of Queensland, don’t hurry straight through the town of Mt Isa, spend a few nights there and discover the real Isa.

 

Sponsor:
www.queenslandholidays.com.au

Special thanks to:
www.outbackatisa.com.au

Kalktunga Utingat (Kalkadoon Emu) Tours (Zane Hughes)
Mt Isa Region
Ph: 1300 659 660