Renner Springs to Mt Isa

The georgina River at Dusk - With Pelicans

Our next main stop was Camooweal, which is just inside the border of Queensland from the Northern Territory. We camped by the Georgina River and to sit beside a river and see nature at work is wonderful. At the very moment of writing this scribble, we’re watching a flotilla of Pelicans cruise up and down what’s left of the Georgina River after the wet season. At a rough count we reckon there’s around 90-100 of these big birds and the setting is magic. At dusk, the sky tends toward a hue of blue graduating through violet, pink, red and then a pale orange. The hue you see only lasts for a few minutes and then gradually fades away to the night sky. And then, of course, in the absence of big city lights and the industrial sludge that goes with that, the stars emerge and render up the true magic of the Milky Way. It’s one of those moments when - well, you had to be there to appreciate it.

Jeff Simpson - A man with a great story to tell

Today (Monday May 20), we visited the Camooweal Drovers Camp, which is about 1 km out of town heading East. If you’re up this way and you don’t visit this exhibit - shame on you !. As a keen fan of Australian history, I was in the equivalent of a kids lolly shop. We were greeted by Jeff Simpson, a 79 year old guy who had been a drover from 1952 through to around 1962, so he was the genuine article (photo). A nicer man you could not meet and, because we weren’t pressed for time, we got the full tour, with excellent commentary through the gallery of photos, memorabilia and background history of all the famous cattle stations and characters that worked throughout northern Queensland, the NT and north west WA. He knew all about the early settlers including the Duracks, Costellos, McDonalds etc that pioneered the sheep and Cattle Stations. He also knew all about the explorers that came through these areas, opening up the country to pastrolists and other business interests. His brother, also a Drover in his younger years, has written a book about Ludwig Leichhardt, the Prussion explorer - it’s called “In the Footsteps of Leichhardt” - I’ve seen it on the bookshelves, so I know what my next book purchase will be. 

Horse Tailor with pack horses - 1880's

Jeff was a Horse Tailor - and what, you may ask is a Horse Tailor ?. Well, I asked (on behalf of the reader of course !), and generally, he was in charge of all the horses for the muster, including saddles, bridles, shoeing and anything else horse related. He was up at 4am each morning to bring the horses in from their tetherings outside the main camp area and have them ready for the days work. So he, like the cook, was a key bloke. His knowledge of horses is so good he's written a book on how to break a wild horse and how to subsequently train and look after them. His book has also been included in the collection held by a German organisation - the name escapes me - considered the ultimate authority on horses worldwide.

We also learned that there were certain horses, termed “Night Horses”. These particular horses had excellent vision, excellent hearing and an instinct for trouble within the mob. They were the horses used during the night watches, but they were also the first “horse of call” when some of the more adventurous of the mob decided to go AWOL during the day. Blessed with better reflexes than their rider, they were able to out-manouvre animals under chase and at times, were known to lean against the animal and bite their back or rump in order to turn them back to the main mob. So they were really, I guess the first “kelpies” of the cattle herds.

The regular horses ridden by the drovers were from good stock, usually thoroughbreds, and were selected for their speed and agility. For every drover, 6 horses were included with the muster as the general droving horse was worked hard through the day, having to be on station for the time it took to drove the cattle 10 to 12 miles per day, at the same time scouting the bounds of the mob in order to keep them together and keep them moving.

The pack horses, who did all the heavy lifting, were at the bottom of the capability index. They would normally carry around 150lb on their back and came under the general responsibility of the cook. No-one, other than the cook or Horse Tailor, went anywhere near those pack horses carrying food of any kind, under threat of punishment, and alcohol was not permitted from the start of the job until completion.

Cattle under Muster - 1880 - 1881 (notice the Termite Mounds everywhere)

The drovers were paid 4 shillings and sixpence per 100 head, per 100 miles. Typical cattle herds under muster would number around 1350 and they would travel around 10 to 12 miles per day. So you do the maths for the weekly wage. Along the muster route, water bores were sunk every 24 miles so the drovers always carried enough water for at least two days. The musters themselves could take place over many months. Typically, a muster droving from the Kimberleys to around Camooweal or Cloncurry could take up to 7 months, and that excludes the time it took to get the horses, drovers and camp kitchen gear to the Kimberleys in the first place - for that add another 2 months. So from start to finish, a complete muster job could take 9 months to a year, depending on weather. Wages were only paid at the end of the muster, so anyone who decided they’d had enough at some point before the finish line - well, they got some more life experience, full stop.

The Drovers Camp is free entry, but there is a box for donations - I bought a painting instead so that was my contribution - and TJ bought a DVD. The day we left Camooweal, we passed the Drovers Camp and there were 4 caravaning couples and two busloads of people visiting. We (TJ and self) both hope this exhibit survives because we’re not sure what happens when the last real drover conducting the tours can’t physically do it or passes on. They (the Drovers) do it on a voluntary basis - Jeff Simpson, our Guide, comes from Stanthorpe, which is a town close to the border in SE Queensland - probably over 1000 km away. And the other guides, who do it on a roster basis, likewise come from all parts of the country. This is the dedication and commitment they bring to the exhibition. I’m just glad to have visited when we did, and to have talked real life experiences with someone who had - and has - a great story to tell.  Probably one of the most interesting days I’ve spent in many a year.

View from City Lookout

Our next stop was Mount Isa, located on the Leichhardt River, south of the Gulf by some 300 km or so. The Mount Isa Mining Company came into existence in 1924 following the discovery of high grade lead ore deposits in 1923 by John Miles, a prospector traveling through the area. Mining leases were pegged out, and as word got about, an increasing number of prospectors moved in and took up leases. In addition to Lead, Copper, Zinc and Silver were also discovered. The town of Mt Isa started to take shape, providing facilities and everyday living needs for the increasing number of people coming to the area looking for work in the mines. During the Great Depression, Mt Isa was effectively immune from the downturn in work experienced by the rest of Australia. During the war years, mining concentrated on Lead and Copper in order to support the war effort. At the end of the war, Copper, Lead, Zinc and Silver were mined. Today, Mount Isa Mining Co (MIM Co) is owned by Xstrata, a Swiss company, and employs around 5000 people, representing more than 25% of the total population.

Mt Isa at night - City Lookout

It’s a typical mining town, with the huge MIM Co mine backgrounding the central business district - or is it the other way round ? Not sure ... At night, the mine is lit up like a Christmas tree and serves as the main object of interest when observed from the Lookout overlooking the main CBD. There are other mine sites on and outside the city limits, but these pale into insignificance compared with the main MIM Co adjacent to city central. During the afternoons we were there, you could hear the blasting taking place - we heard up to 3 in one afternoon. We were told that they blast everyday at 8.15am and 8.15pm, and that they’ve been doing this for the past 29 years !. Every now and then, there’s an extra big blast, which we experienced on the Wednesday night. You could feel the vibration right through the van, and we were about 2 to 3 km from the mine site - and then the blasts are taking place about 2 km underground. In the Caravan park we stayed at, the majority of the inhabitants were permanents, usually contractors working with the mine. They come from all parts of Australia judging by the variety of car licence plates.

We called at the Outback at Isa centre and enquired about a mine tour. They told us that the mine was a reconstruction of the real thing so we weren’t happy about that so I rode up to MIM Co and enquired about mine tours through the real thing. No go - so all round, a bit disappointing, given you can take mine tours of operating mines in Newman and Kalgoolie (WA), Silverton in SA and the open cut coal mines in Victoria. Apparently, mine tours were possible up until a few years ago when OH&S concerns closed them down. So if you’re planning a visit, the only mine tour in town is via the Outback Isa centre - $59 per adult or $49 with a concession - 2.5 hours.

The First Mt Isa Hospital

What we did do though was visit the Underground Hospital adjacent to the current Mt Isa Hospital. This is a really good museum exhibiting old medical gear and photographs taken at the very beginnings of medicine as practiced at Mt Isa in the late 1920’s. The first doctor set up his clinic in a single tent before eventually moving to a more substantial setting around 1929. During the war years, Mt Isa was home to around 6000 American and Australian defence force personnel, as it was used as a staging town for the supply of equipment and armaments to Darwin for the war effort. 

Patient Bed-bunks - Underground Hospital

When the Japanese bombed Darwin on Feb 19, 1942, Mt Isa was considered a future potential target because of the copper and lead mining, so the hospital had an underground tunnel system hastily dug and equipped with sufficient medical supplies and bedding to house patients. It was equipped with a full operating area with equipment, an infant ward, bunk beds and fully stocked with medical supplies, linen, crockery etc. It was never used and at the end of the war, the entrance was filled over, leaving all original medical equipment and bedding in tact. 

Original Medical Supplies from 1942

In 1977, depressions in the hillside where the underground hospital was located prompted excavations to be undertaken to determine the cause. Excavations broke through into one of the tunnels and a worker was despatched to assess the find. He reported that the tunnels were unsafe and excavations were terminated and covered over. It wasn’t until the late 1990’s that miners working for MIM Co heard about the earlier find and offered to assess the tunnels with the view to restoration. This they did, and after some necessary tunnel reinforcement, they made the tunnels safe. The original tunnel shoring used was Gidyea, which is an extremely dense wood, much the same as Jarrah or Mulga. Even after more than 50 years, the shorings were still in excellent condition and only a minimum amount of shoring restoration was required. 

The escape ladder in case of tunnel collapse

Enquiries throughout the MT Isa community failed to find anyone who knew anything about the find. There were no plans or sketches provided to the local council but some old photos did come to light showing the interior as it was in 1942, so the current layout is the way it was at the time. The MIM Co miners took 4 years to complete the project, and today, it’s an excellent display for anyone traveling this way. 

The guides that take you through are locals who either worked at the current hospital or were associated with the Salvation Army. They have excellent knowledge of the history of both the hospital and Mt Isa in general.