The track is truly underrated, ditches that put Rex on 3 wheels, branches that drew their name into the side of the car and riverbeds bunkered with sand. The journey was entertaining and the views of surrounding rocky hills and spinifex made the roller coaster ride worthwhile. 
 We had the opportunity to meet the amazing people of the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS) and were inspired by their enthusiasm and love of their jobs. Each member of the team was generous with their time and Shovel loved getting inside the aircraft and checking out the controls. To the RFDS we salute you.
Fortunately, the town is still running with a well looked after pub and a rail station that looked like it had been cut and pasted from a Brisbane suburb. We also had lunch on top of a nearby hill, which spoilt us with some spectacular views of the countryside.
Another icon of Mount Isa is the display of the early tent house. There were over 60 tents erected in 1930 to accommodate mine workers. Over the years the condition of the tents deteriorated, by 1934 Mount Isa Mines agreed to repair them by converting the tents into ‘tent houses’. Employees cladded the tents with iron wall surrounds and an iron roof, there was space between the original tent roof and iron roof to keep the house cooler in the warmer months. Through the 1960’s many of these houses were removed as they were sitting on top of the now mined open cut mine, called Black Rock. The last remaining tent house has been left as a preserved museum since 1967.
 There is also a vertical ventilation shaft, giving you the only window view if the hospital had to evacuate. The Underground hospital was restored between 1997 and 2001 to its original condition, and displays a unique part of Mount Isa’s history. The first hospital of Mount Isa was also on display, with a collection of medical and mining equipment that provided to the town through its early years. Interesting fact is that the original hospital was transferred from Kuridala when its mining operations ceased in 1928.
Third tyre puncher in a matter of weeks for Rex. But thankfully we are now experts using the tyre repair kit, so no dramas. Rifle Creek Dam was the original man made water reservoir of the Mount Isa Mines. Constructed in 1929 and capable of holding 3 years supply of water, it remains the main water source for the Mines located approximately 30kms away, but is completely off limits to the public, so we found out. What a shame as old photos of the Dam look really impressive. On the return journey we noticed a small calf sitting on the dirt track. Thinking it might be injured we stopped, Shovel made a make shift water container out of a plastic bottle and we slowly headed towards the calf in an attempt to help it…. but it didn’t need our help, as once we were close enough, the calf jumped up and ran off into the distance… seems it was just chilling in the shade…
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The JourneyChoose Curiosity The Catalogue
November 2023
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