FUNCTION CENTRES

Melrose Events

Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce Inc.

Proud producers of the "Quicksmart Easifind" telephone directory
and the Mount Isa Biz website.

Organisers of Xstrata Mount Isa Mining Expo

Chamber Meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month, at "The Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce Board Room". All Financial Members Welcome.

Membership to the Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce is open to all with annual fees starting from $135.00 incl. GST.

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Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo Inc.

WINNER OF THE 2004 OUTBACK QUEENSLAND TOURISM AWARDS
SIGNIFICANT EVENT CATEGORY

The Rotary Rodeo is presented by the combined Rotary Clubs of Mount Isa, the Mount Isa Club, Mount Isa West and Mount Isa South.

Deemed the Biggest & Best Rodeo in the Southern Hemisphere, the week's events include spectacular Rodeo Action, the Bell & Moir Goodyear Ute Muster, the Mailman Express, the Best Dressed Premises competition, Bullpit Rides, Live Music, Sideshow Alley & Entertainment and the Mardi Gras held on Friday Night.

To enter a float in the Mardi Gras, organisations must register with Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo Inc. There is great prizemoney up for grabs & entry is free.

Mount Isa Rodeo Background

Steeped in over 40 years of history, the Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo (as it was first known) was born out of a desire by a young service club to "think big".

The first Rotary Club in Mount Isa had been in operation for some months and had successfully completed a number of small community service projects. However the Community Service Director felt the club needed to tackle a big project, one which would put Mount Isa on the map. And so the idea of staging a rodeo was unanimously and enthusiastically adopted, despite the fact that none of the club members had ever been involved in organising one before. Only a couple of members had even seen a rodeo!

With no ground, no stock and no experience, a Rodeo organising committee was formed and set about the task of staging the first ever Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo in 1959.

Since its inception, the Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo has donated in excess of $2.5 million to charitable, community, cultural, sporting and service organisations.

As accommodation outlets report a 100 per cent occupancy rate during the rodeo period, additional temporary camping facilities are created within the city, simply to cater for the Rodeo overflow.

The directors of the Rodeo are elected from members of the three Rotary Clubs in Mount Isa. These directors are responsible for the deployment of hundreds of volunteer workers who play a vital part in the planning and staging of the Rodeo.

The 2007 Isa Rodeo has a new venue - Buchanan Park, located in the heart of Mount Isa on the corner of George and Sutton Streets. Buchanan Park is a brand new multi-million dollar events complex with an arena specifically designed to stage a world class rodeo event. The arena will be able to seat approximately 5,500 people in the covered stadium style seating and two grassed berms. Other facilities include food outlets, drink bars, media centre, tourist information booth, emergency services block and plenty of amenities. The undercover Rodeo Walk links the arena to the Xstrata Entertainment Centre featuring live entertainment and exhibition.

Previously, the venue for the Isa Rodeo was Kalkadoon Park, located 8km from the heart of Mount Isa City on the Barkly Highway.

In the week leading up to the Rodeo, business houses and retail outlets get firmly behind the spirit of the event, with most participating in the annual "Best Dressed Premises" competition, run by the Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce. The object is to have premises and staff dressed in appropriate theme decoration and costume for Rodeo Week.

And the enthusiasm doesn't stop there. The Rodeo Mardi Gras, traditionally held on the Friday night of Rodeo, involves all sections of the community. Staged through the streets of Mount Isa, the procession of Mardi Gras floats is one of the highlights of the weekend.

From 4pm on Friday until the wee hours of Saturday morning, Mount Isa becomes a giant fairground, with wall-to-wall people enjoying entertainment, dancing, carnival rides and food.

It has long been recognised that the community involvement behind the Rodeo is what makes it such a unique festival.

The Isa Rodeo Festival is held each year for approximately two weeks and culminates with the Isa Rodeo. The full program of events is listed below.

2007 Program of Events

Saturday 4 August - Mayoress' Ball & Crowning of the Rodeo Queen

Monday 6 August - Judging of Best Dressed Premises

Tuesday 7 August - Judging of Best Dressed Premises

Wednesday 8 August - Zonta Poets Breakfast

Wednesday 8 August - The Bull Pit - "Man Against Beast"

Wednesday 8 August - LIVE Local Entertainment

Thursday 9 August - Presentation of Best Dressed Premises

Thursday 9 August - Mailman Express

Thursday 9 August - Combined Rotary Clubs Meeting

Friday 10 August - Rodeo & Time Events

Friday 10 August - Xstrata Mount Isa Mines Mardi Gras

Friday 10 August - The Bull Pit - "Man Against Beast"

Friday 10 August - Fireworks

Friday 10 August - LIVE Shandell Tosoni & Crakajak

Saturday 11 August - Rodeo Events

Saturday 11 August - Bell & Moir Goodyear Isa Rodeo Ute Muster

Saturday 11 August - LIVE Crakajak & The Bostocks

Sunday 12 August - Buffs Recovery Breakfast (Hot & Cold Buffet)

Sunday 12 August - Rodeo Events

Sunday 12 August - Cowboys & Cowgirls Night

Sunday 12 August - LIVE The Bostocks

Mount Isa RSL Services Inc.

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.

Terrace Gardens Function Centre

The Society for the Mount Isa Memorial Garden Settlement for the Aged T/A The Laura Johnson Home