MUSEUMS

Arilla Paper

Arilla Paper brings together women, the plants and spirit of the land around Mount Isa to make unique Indigenous paper. These papers, made from local grasses, trees and reeds such as spinifex, buffle grass and river gum leaves can travel the world, yet always evoke this land.

Mount Isa's first fledging paper-making business, this indigenous enterprise harnesses the creative energies and knowledge of local women to produce fine paper products made from regional grasses, reeeds & eucalypts.

The mill which is located at the Old Mining Museum in Shackleton Street, is operated by indigenous women and is expected to expand and develop further products such as artworks and hold classes to teach the process of paper-making.

A great tourist attraction with free entry, all paper products including office & decorative stationery and art mediums are available for purchase on site.

Bedourie Mud Hut

The former Cobb & Co stop is now owned by Diamantina Shire Council which bought it in 2001 from long-time Bedourie resident Jean Smith.

After completion of restoration, the Mud Hut will be open to the public for inspection. Interpretive signs will provide information on those that have owned and lived in the home.

Birdsville Working Museum

Kronosaurus Korner

WINNER OF THE SIGNIFICANT TOURIST ATTRACTION CATEGORY AT THE 2004 OUTBACK QUEENSLAND TOURISM AWARDS

The Kronosaurus Korner is a World Class Fossil Display & Tourist Information Centre, and includes a Cafe, Rest Rooms, Wheel Chair Access, Full-time Curator, Kiddies Korner Child Minding Area with TV, Educational Theatrette, Laboratory and is fully air conditioned.

The Richmond Marine Fossil Museum is recognised far and wide as being one of the premier marine fossil museums in the world, with a full-time palaeontologist/curator and staff. The Richmond museum proudly displays hundreds of fossils that have been found in the Richmond region which once was the heart of the Great Inland Sea bewteen 90 and 120 million years ago. A visit will be a fascinating experience for children, students and adults. Guides are also ready to take visitros to fossicking fields just outside town.

Make Richmond your next holiday.

Mount Isa Underground Hospital and Beth Anderson Museum

Hospital History

In 1923 John Campbell Miles discovered rich minerals and named the discovery Mount Isa. Miners and their families soon travelled to work this field.

The first hospital established in Mount Isa was two small tents, with Dr. Arthur Goode in charge in 1926. It was not until 1929 that a hospital reserve was proclaimed on 10 acres of land in Camooweal Street and a small building was completed but not used until 1930.

In 1931 a much larger hospital was moved from a closed mining town west of Cloncurry called Kuridala.

In 1942 Darwin was bombed by the Japanese Army and as Mount Isa was only producing lead, the small community of Mount Isa was very fearful that their town would be the next target.

The hospital doctor in charge Dr. Ryan set about providing a safe shelter. Mount Isa Mines gave equipment and a foreman Wally Onton and the miners freely gave their time after working an eight hour shift. The Underground Hospital was dug and set up in 15 weeks.

Most of the mining work was done by hand, bearing in mind that Mount Isa was a very small community of approximatly 5000. Water and electricity was also connected during this time.

During the war years 1942 to 1945 the town would have an air raid siren. This would be used to alert the community of a possible bombing. The nurses (all that worked at the hospital) would have to return to duty and evacuate the base hospital into the Underground. This sometimes happened several times a week.

In 1945 World War II ended. As history will tell, the Japanese did not reach Mount Isa, therefore the Underground Hospital was not used or needed. However, after 1942 right up to 1960, the nurses who worked night shift would sleep there as it was cool, dark and quiet.

As the new hospital was being built in 1959, the constructor took some of the hillside away and damaged the Underground Hospital. The local community protested and the remainder was saved and left to deteriorate.

Vandals burnt out the timbering and in 1994 the community had to decide what to do with this unusual hospital. A historian Dr. Peter Bell was commissioned to carry out a full study.

Dr. Bell found that the Underground Hospital in Mount Isa was the only structure of this type ever built in Australia, during war time for civilians by civilians.

A community group decided to restore and showcase this unique hospital. Mount Isa Mines was approached and supplied a foreman Palle Rasmussen and the miners volunteered their labour after working a 12 hour shift. This time there was no fear of emergency and the job took four years to complete.

We have since received a prestigious award from The National Trust of Queensland for heritage restoration.

Opening Times:

Tourist Season - 1st April - 30th September
10:00am - 2:00pm - 7 Days a Week

Off Season - Group Tour Bookings can be arranged by phoning 07 4743 3853

Admission:

$10 Adults
$8 Concessions
$5 Children
Groups of five or more: Adults $6.00 each
Children $2.00 each

ISA HERITAGE TRAIL TOUR

Experience a guided tour of the Underground Hospital. This fully guided three hour tour of the city's heritage sites takes you to:

• The famous Wartime Underground Hospital
• The Pioneers Tent House
• School of the Air
• City Lookout
• And other key town and historical sites

For bookings and enquiries contact the Outback at Isa Visitor Information Centre on 07 4749 1555 or Freecall 1300 659 660.

A Unique and Wonderful Experience awaits you at the Outback at Isa Visitor Information Centre. Mount Isa's Premiere Tourist Attraction.
19 Marian Street, Mount Isa.

National Trust Tent House

Outback at Isa

WINNER OF THE 2004, 2005 & 2006 OUTBACK QUEENSLAND TOURISM AWARDS

MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION - NEW TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

2004, 2005 & 2006 HERITAGE & CULTURAL TOURISM

GENERAL TOURISM SERVICES

MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION

JUDGES AWARD FOR BEST SUBMISSION

WINNER OF THE 2006 MOUNT ISA BUSINESS AWARDS

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AWARD

WINNER OF THE 2006 QUEENSLAND STATE TOURISM AWARDS

HERITAGE AND CULTURAL TOURISM AWARD

Mind Blowing Experience Awaits You!

Hard Times Mine

The Hard Times Mine is constructed as a "working" tourist mine to give you a real mine experience, from wearing a miners cap with lamp and ear muffs, to the descent in the "Alamac" cage to the floor of the mine and the Underground Tour.

The mine will have every appearance of an actual mine and there is every likelihood you'll meet the occasional miner while you are down there. Past and present Mount Isa Mine miners and tour guides will provide a guided commentary to the visitors of Hard Times Mine.

Sir James Foots Building ~ Isa Experience Gallery and Mount Isa Mines Theatrette

The Sir James Foots Building houses the Isa Experience Gallery and the Mount Isa Mines Theatrette.

The ground floor is named the Isa Experience and will focus on the indigenous, settlement and mining programmes that are so much a part of Mount Isa.

The Upper Level is the Mount Isa Mines Theatrette with seating for more than 50 people. Films include footage of the early days and the further development of Mount Isa as a mining town and screens every 15-20 minutes.

One of the highlights is a spectacular two storey high wall the length of the gallery. It is a two level exhibit of artifacts, specimens, models, photographs, illustrations, dioramas and electronic media to introduce visitors to all the major themes of Outback at Isa.

Amphitheatre

As you head out of the Sir James Foots Building you enter the Outback Park and part of this area is the Amphitheatre. This is an open air entertainment area that seats over 200 people.

Riversleigh Fossils Centre and Laboratory

Riversleigh Fossil Centre opens the window into what lies four hours drive to the north of Mount Isa and what is now dry spinifex country. Giant Carnivorous Birds, Marsupial Lions and Thinadontas once roamed the floor in dense rainforest. This is the World Listed Riversleigh Fossils Site, one of the richest and most extensive in the world. The award winning centre houses a series of exciting and informative displays bringing the once west tropical landscape and its long gone inhabitants back to life.

You will be able to visit the adjacent laboratory where Outback at Isa's resident Palaeontologist and Laboratory Technician free the fossils from limestone and piece their lives back together.

Outback Park

The Outback Park is an extensively creative landscape that captures your attention with a central lagoon surrounded by lush plantings and waterfalls. Pathways will lead you to a series of "exhibition plazas" which examine a range of topics including barramundi, Indigenous food plants and desert plantings in a variety of areas. A bridge extends across the lagoon and will allow you to view the various, bird life and aquatic plants that the lagoon has attracted.

Tourist Information Centre

The Information Centre is a place to find out what the North West Region has to offer, to correspond with relatives and friends by the internet and simply plan the next part of your holiday or take a rest in air conditioned comfort.

Thingadontas Den ~ Gift & Souvenir Shop

Conveniently open 7 days a week, you will be more than happy with the wide range of Souvenirs and Gifts available for purchase.

• Locally made mineral clocks
• Souvenirs with a difference
• Aboriginal Figurines and Souvenirs
• Wide range of Maps
• Official Supplier of 4LM Rodeo T-Shirts and Souvenirs

Outback Cafe

The cafe offers a selection of snacks and light meals during Outback at Isa's opening hours, coincides with the transit terminal coach arrivals and departures.

Campbells Tours and Travel

Campbells Tours and Travel located inside Outback at Isa, is an agent for major bus companies. Campbells operate the Mount Isa Mines Surface Tours and tours to Lawn Hill Gorge, Riversleigh Fossil Fields and Adels Grove.