Lake Moondarra (fishing, swimming, kayaking, boating, BBQs), Warrina Park and Wallaby Walk to three lookout points

The Barkly Highway is the longest main street in the world - taking you all the way to Camooweal, a suburb of Mount Isa, 188km away

Underground Hospital

The first medical facility in Mount Isa was a rudimentary row of tents set up by Mount Isa Mines to look after injured workers. In 1929, a 40-bed community hospital was opened, followed by another public hospital sometime later.

When World War II visited the shores of Darwin in 1942 and left North West Queensland vulnerable to invasion, Mount Isa’s authorities were concerned that their district hospital could be targeted by air raids. So, civilians – in particular, off-duty miners – built a new hospital underground in a matter of weeks. Carved out of shale rock, it consisted of three parallel tunnels joined at one end by a 20-metre-long tunnel, creating a reverse ‘E’ shape. Separate male and female wards and a maternity/children’s ward existed and there was even a birthing room and surgical theatre, all underground. Equipped with electricity and telephones, the hospital was more than merely a makeshift facility.

Today, visitors can wander through the Underground Hospital and learn how it functioned. Exhibits have been installed based on photos from 1942 and include medical equipment and furnishings from the original fitout.

The Beth Anderson Museum, which forms part of the Underground Hospital exhibit, features a compelling array of antique medical equipment, including anatomy posters and a real human skeleton, used to educate students. Also on display are an assortment of World War II artefacts that demonstrate wartime resourcefulness and ingenuity, especially given the distance from major cities.

On your visit, you will also take in the Tent House, part of a community established in 1930 to accommodate the booming population as men arrived in Mount Isa to work in construction and on the new railway, and many brought their families with them. Hundreds of tent houses sprang up, thanks to the ready availability of canvas which formed the walls and roof, around a timber frame.

Location

Joan Street, Mount Isa

Ph 07 4749 3087 info@undergroundhospital.com www.undergroundhospital.com

@undergroundhospital

Open from 10.00am to 2.00pm in the cooler months: 1st April to 30th September. Enquire about opening hours from October to March. Be sure to arrive at least one hour prior to closing. Bookings not essential.

City Lookout

Every proud city has its best vantage point. In Mount Isa, it’s the John Campbell Miles Memorial Lookout with its 360-degree views of the landscape and skyline. Drop by when you arrive* to gain an excellent idea of the lay of the land. Take a selfie at the World Traveller signpost and catch an outback sunset as it unfolds; the sparkly night-time view with its city lights and billions of stars is highly recommended, or enjoy a casual meal at one of the shaded picnic tables.

Tip your hat as you pass by the plaque dedicated to Miles, whose ashes were interred in 1968 beneath the clock tower at the corner of Rodeo Drive and Miles Street.

Visit Outback at Isa, 19 Marian Street, Mount Isa for a free map to enable you to identify landmarks from the lookout.

Location

Hilary Street, Mount Isa.

*Not suitable for caravans.

School of the Air

More proof of Mount Isa’s resourcefulness is its School of the Air, available to around 200 isolated outback students from prep to year 10.

It is in Abel Smith Parade, and visitors can join a tour to see just how lessons are delivered using mail, telephone and the internet. The catchment extends from the NT border in the west to Richmond in the east, Burketown in the north, Birdsville in the south and Winton in the south-east. Although

students only come together in person for sports days and other special occasions during the year, the wonderful sense of community and culture of encouragement is palpable throughout the school.

137-143 Abel Smith Parade, Mount Isa

Ph 07 4744 8333 to book

www.mtisasde.eq.edu.au

Tours start at 10am weekdays during the school terms. On-air lessons are Monday to Thursday; tours operate on Fridays too, but without on-air lessons.