Day 16 - Mt Isa to Julia Creek

We seem to be getting slicker at striking camp. Everything packed away in under an hour. We didn’t have the usual vacant stares and discussions and wondering why it would not quite fit this time round.

The countryside between Mt Isa and Cloncurry was very picturesque with hills and vegetation. Quite the prettiest we had seen in contrast to Mitchell Grasslands which are flat as far as the eye can see. We came across a tribute to the Mitakoodi and Kalkadoon people. Some clown had been using it for target practice. The words felt quite moving.

For the Mitakoodi People

For the Kalkadoon People

Whilst we were looking at the tribute a bicycle rider, Dave McLaughlin, stopped for a blow. He and his brother were retired and they were riding from Townsville to Mt Isa and back as a warm up for the coast to coast (Cairns to Karumba) cycle ride we are supporting at the end of June. Small world.

Next stop was the ghost town of Mary Kathleen.

All that is left is a town layout. Some sites have been marked with spray paint. We found the library, the wet canteen, the ANZ Bank, Post Office, Town Office, Medical Centre and Pottery club. It is hard to imagine that this picture would have included all those buildings and more.

The Cloncurry information centre had a book about the area in which there was an excellent map of the town plan as it was when the mine was working. We were surprised just what a large community it was and the facilities which were available to the residents.

The wildflowers and trees around the area were so interesting and pretty.  The barks on the gums and the trunks were truly beautiful.  It was such a peaceful place with nature having reclaimed the area.

We spent a couple of happy hours at Cloncurry in the John Flynn Place delving into more history of the RFDS, Alf Traeger’s generations of radio and admiring paintings by local artists in the Fred McKinley Gallery. The work continued by the Australian Inland Mission seems so practical and effective.

We stopped at the Julia Creek Caravan Park. Again, very different in character from other parks. It is provided by the council and the caretaker was very welcoming and kept the place clean. Whilst it has good quality fitments it does not display the passion and care of some of the commercial parks.