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Day 7

Thursday, 20th September
Mount Isa

Mount Isa

Distance Traveled

Today - 50 km

Total - 2812 km

Blog

Today was mining day. We spent the whole day at the Isa.

In the morning I went with grandma, Ben and Bas down the hard times mine. The tour was done by Bill who spent 23 years as a miner. He told lots of stories about his days in the mines.

They worked 8 hour days with a period on the crib room (lunch room) when they did the blasting. They now do it at 8 every morning and evening. Back in the early days the miners were paid much more than now. They could buy a new house and car after just a single years work.

We got to try out the drills and rode on a few of the machines. Most of the larger machines. When they finish their life they are stripped of any good bits and then buried down the mines. Bill showed us an enormous machine which was saved to show the tourists. The other 5 are now buried. They had to cut this machine in half to get it up the lift and then re assemble it.

He also spoke of his nephew who still works in the mine. He has a large comfy chair with screens all around him. The machine he is driving is 8 levels lower. No-one is there and if anyone ever goes there, the laser sensors are tripped and the machinery shuts down.

Back in the old days most deaths were with these machines. The drivers couldn't see very far and workers were often run over. The last person killed was hanging on the side of one of these machines for a free ride and was crushed when it went around a corner.

While we did this Bridget took Rebecca on the surface tour, as Rebecca was too young for the hard times tour.

They saw the large open cut mine and also the smelter and crushers.

We all met up for lunch at the lookout, where a local aborigine was painting a digereedoo.

Next we went caching but I did a wrong calculation and ended up in an outback junk area. We evenually got back on track and went for a drive to the lake and dam, which would be the local water supply. There were warnings of desease carrying mosquitoes. We also stopped at a park with a bunch of peacocks.

We then came back to camp for a swim, dinner and bed. We are now meeting some campers again all taking very similar tours.

Everyone is super friendly and it is tee shirt weather at night... Perfect!!

Minor with Miner