Once again, we opened the blinds this morning and the campground was empty. That’s OK we only are moving onto the next town, Winton, 150 kilometres away.

 

The land was fairly flat with a lot of floodway up and downs.

 

We were 10 kilometres out from Winton when it was a total standstill due to clogging traffic but not what you think.

 

The area has been in drought for around 7 years and there was a large herd of cattle being driven along the stock route which is also the highway.

 

The cattle were just been gently moved along, eating the grass along the way.

 

It took about 15 minutes to get through the herd at walking pace. We were nearly through when the young steers mad a run and got around in front of us again.

 

Arriving into Winton, I tried the first 2 caravan parks and they had no vacancies unless we had a booking so it was off to the final one before we looked for free camps.

 

The Matilda Country Tourist Park didn’t take bookings so it was your place in line determined whether you had a site or not. We were lucky to get one of the last few sites.

 

Once set up, it was time to have a look around town (it is not that big) and the area.

 

First stop was the original landing field for Qantas although there is nothing there now apart from a musical fence and a commemorative rock.

 

Next it was down to the original location of Winton at Pelican Waterhole. Even though the site was up on high ground, apparently it flooded out so the town was moved to even higher ground.

 

It was then time to drive the “Route of the Gums”, a self drive tour through Bladensburg National Park. It used to be a cattle property but is now a National Park.

 

At the old homestead, there was a lot of information about the former life of the property. The drive took in  a number of waterholes and a couple of spots with some intriguing history.

 

The 1891 Shearer’s Strike Memorial was at the location of the Camp of 500 striking shearers which was the beginning of the foundation of the Australian Labour Party.

 

At Skull Hole back in 1888, 200 aboriginals were massacred in retaliation of the murder of a station cook.

Most of the camping areas in the Park were packed with free campers.

 

Our van was sited next to Banjo’s Barn in the caravan park so we had country music while we had dinner and then we went round to listen to a bush poet, Gregory North.

 

It was a good show with some modern twists on some of the classic bush poetry of Banjo Paterson.

 

We had planned to make a small journey of 110 kilometres from Cloncurry to McKinlay and stay at the Walkabout Creek Hotel.

 

We arrived fairly early in McKinlay and visited the Walkabout Creek Hotel which was the hotel they filmed Crocodile Dundee.

 

There was a bit of film memorabilia but not enough to keep us here for the night so we continued on to Kynuna down the track.

 

I think the Kynuna township had a population of 16, but there was at least double that camped in the Kynuna Roadhouse Campground.

 

We spent the afternoon chatting with a couple, Gavin and Margaret, travelling from Griffith, NSW.

 

We only had 120 kilometres to travel from Mt Isa to Cloncurry but it took 4 hours. And it wasn’t because of geocaching – well not entirely.

 

Half way between the two towns is the old site of the Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine, which operated from 1954 to 1984.

 

Even though there are no buildings left on the site, you can go up to the old open cut pit to see the vivid blue water but not sure you would want to go for a swim in there.

 

Back at the old town site, the bitumen roads and concrete gutters are still there as is all the concrete pads where all the houses and shops used to sit.

 

It was surreal given that we had watched the film from the 60’s showing life in the town. You could pick where the old town square was and the beer garden. The bowling club was also recognisable.

 

It is not all that abandoned with it now a highly recommended free camp with many caravans, motorhomes and tents utilising the old house pads.

 

Along the way we stopped at the Clem Walton Reserve or Corella Dam which was built to supply water to the Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine. We thought it sounded like a good spot to either have lunch or free camp but about 200 other vans had the same idea. It was a great spot but if we are going to be packed in like a caravan park, we might as well stay in one closer to town.

 

Arriving at the Cloncurry Caravan Park Oasis, there was a bit of a queue but luckily they have an overflow area. 

I am not sure we are in the overflow though as we were directed to a site near the entrance and ablution block.

 

We spent the afternoon exploring the town including the Mary Kathleen Memorial Park where some of the buildings from the mine have been moved to live a new life.

 

To the north of town, at the airport is one of the original Qantas hangers. Its has been restored and there are some information panels to read on the outside. The other original hanger is in Longreach.

 

From the airport we headed to the Chinamans Creek Dam which provides water to the town as well as the mines that are in the area. 

 

There was a lookout that gave views over town and afar. We waited around for sunset but as there were no clouds to speak of, it wasn’t all that spectacular.

 

A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month. OK, I know a bit corny but hey I am a dad.

 

Sunday is pancake day at the Sunset Top Park, so Jenny headed out to grab a pancake and she came back with a plate full.

 

The plan for the day was to head underground at the Hard Times Underground Mine Tour. 

 

With the Mt Isa Mine no longer doing mine tours, this purpose built tourist mine has taken over.

 

It was constructed to the same design and standards as the normal mine with all the equipment being retired gear from the main mine.

 

The tour guides are all retired miners and ours was Steve.

 

Before heading down, you get to dress up with bright orange paper overalls, an orange hard hat and light and gum boots. We looked like road cones on steroids.

 

After the obligatory shot at the elevator (to sell to us later) we descended down in the elevator to the mine tunnel.

 

Even though it is only 15 metres down, you could have been at any depth as there is no noise from above.

 

It was dark, warm with high humidity similar to a normal mine but apparently the real deal is a lot hotter.

 

Steve took us through the history of Mt Isa mining with the different decades of machinery and techniques.

 

We learnt how to blow a face then got the chance to do some drilling.

 

There was even a front end loader that he fired up and moved around for us. It is extremely loud in the confined tunnels as are all the other machinery demonstrated.

 

The tour finished with a meal in the crib room underground and plenty of stories of Steves times in the mines and the pranks that were carried out.

 

We were taken back to the surface on the back of a Toyota carrier. The tour had lasted 3 hours.

 

It was well worth going on this tour and would recommend it to anyone travelling to Mt Isa.

 

It was time to spend some time above ground and we headed out to Lake Moondarra to have a look and grab some geocaches.

 

Lake Moondarra is the water supply to Mt Isa and the Mine built by the Mine. 

 

As well as providing water, it is a place to go fishing, water skiing, canoeing, 4WDing and of course geocaching.

 

There was plenty of bird life particularly on the 4WD track following the edge of the lake back to town.

 

Tomorrow we continue our travels east.