25 June - Mt Isa Tourist Spots

25 June 2016 – 176 012

Mt Isa Tourist Spots

Today started with a hike up to Ray Donaldson Memorial Lookout which provided a view over both Mt Isa and the countryside toward Cloncurry, and a lovely walk. 

Next stop was the Underground Hospital – this was built by the miners during World War 2 after Darwin was bombed in anticipation of air strikes on Mt Isa, but was thankfully never used. It included general wards, maternity and nursery wards as well as storage in three connected tunnels; and is directly next door to Mt Isa base hospital for quick evacuation. 

http://www.undergroundhospital.com/

Adjacent to this is a restored tent house – these had raised timber floors, a timber frame, canvas walls and roof underneath a second corrugated iron roof; Mt Isa had many of these through until the 1960’s. 

And then we went shopping on “Rodeo Drive”…. at the chemist, probably the only time I will shop on Rodeo Drive! 

This afternoons fossils were at the Riversleigh Fossil Centre which had a variety of megafauna – some animals that are very like their modern relatives, and some that are just plain strange.  Hayden had a great time uncovering a fossil in the sandpit using scoops and brushes. 
https://www.mietv.com.au/Outback-at-Isa/Riversleigh-Fossil-Centre.aspx

 After dinner we headed to City Lookout for sunset and a night view over the mine – it does look a bit like a ship at night with its funnels and multiple levels of small lights like portholes.

Eulo and Cunnamulla (Natural Sciences Loop)

Thursday 7 April 2017 – 168 070 - 37°C

We all slept in until 6:30am.  The stars in the middle of the night were truly amazing! I spent some time photographing along the Paroo River. After a cooked breakfast, we packed up and headed off about 10am.

Stop 1 – Eulo Mud Springs.  These were the original release valves for the Great Artesian Basin pressure prior to bores.  There were three of these, each 3 to 3.5m high and 7 to 10m round.  When Hayden jumped on the top you could see the top moving and Drew and I could feel it through our feet.

  Then Drew jumped on it!  It jiggled like jelly!  The mud itself rubs into the skin, and doesn’t feel “grubby”.  Hayden poked a stick into the surface and found a fissure below the surface which opened into a large underground hole – presumably this is where the mud would flow to the surface.

https://www.outbackqueensland.com.au/attractions/mud-springs/

Stop 2 – Eulo Megafauna.  We stopped to see the megafauna statue in Eulo.  This area is where the majority of megafauna fossils are found.

Stop 3 – Cunnamulla. We topped up on bread and salad ingredients, and checked our emails at the Cunnamulla Fella Visitor Centre. The Artesian Time Tunnel had an excellent video on the Artesian Basin.  The actual display however was disappointing, I felt more pictorial information would have been helpful. 

www.paroo.qld.gov.au/artesian-time-tunnel

The Cunnamulla Fella centre also had a quite good museum with the items well labelled and set out logically. They also had two large detailed models; one of a shearing shed and pens, and the other of stockmen’s’ quarter.

https://www.paroo.info/Information/CunnamullaFellaCentre.aspx

Stop 4 – Cunnamulla Sand Dunes. There is a large sand dune directly behind the town, and in complete contrast to the surrounding

countryside.  We had not seen any other sand since leaving the coast.
https://www.paroo.info/Attractions/Cunnamulla-Sandhills-Walking-Tracks.aspx

We decided to drive on to Bollon.  We should have got fuel in Cunnamulla as we took the gauge down to touching the “E”.  We put in 50L to get us through to St George in the morning.  We have camped at the Yumbai Creek Donation Camp Area – it looks pretty but we didn’t see much before it got dark.

www.balonne.qld.gov.au/camping