Long drive today… about 460kms. Departed Mt Isa and travelled the “long” way to Gregory via Burke & Wills roadhouse to avoid poor condition dirt roads.
Caravan fridge
Fridge has been fixed. Car was checked out by an auto electrician. Car 12v supply was OK. He then had a quick look at fridge electronics. The fridge’s PCB had a burnt out section! Packed up the caravan and took it to a fridge repair business in Mt Isa. They fortunately had a replacement, albeit 2nd hand board. The board was fitted, tested and for about $400 all up, have a fridge which works on 12v again. It seems the onboard PCB 12v fuse was not correctly seated and one of the legs only touching it’s connecting point. No doubt with bumps along the road, there was a spark which burnt out the board.
Hard Times Mining Tour
The Hard Times Mine is an underground mining experience in a mine built and operated by real miners that provides an opportunity to get up close and experience first hand the daily life and workings of an underground mine.
Preparation and above ground…
Below ground…
Moondarra Dam & Lake
Lake Moondarra is an artificial lake on the Leichhardt River in Queensland, Australia, 16 km downstream from the town of Mount Isa. It provides water to the city and the adjacent Mount Isa Mines (MIM) mining lease.
Mt Isa City & M.I.M. Tour
Interesting 2.5 hr city tour which also included a brief drive through the “entrance” area of the mine
Mt Isa
Travel plans have changed due to fridge issue which needs to be fixed. Mt Isa was the closest major town. We expect to be based here until mid next week.
Visitor Centres
We have found dropping into the visitor centre after arriving at a new location very useful eg Mt Isa
Qld border crossing
Another straight forward border crossing this time on the Barkly Highway just west of Camooweal. We were required to produce our driver’s licence, digital declaration and answer COVID related questions. All done and on our way in under 10 minutes.
Last NT rest stop
Morning tea rest stop about 130km west of Qld/NT border. So remote and desolate; the terrain was similar to the Nullarbor Plain. It was 30° by 9.45am.
Daly Waters
Another “Bucket List” item ticked off… the iconic Daly Waters Pub. Our overnight site includes live entertainment & a meal (Beef & Barra special). A true blue outback pub – the Daly Waters Pub is a colourful pub, clad in corrugated iron, draped with bougainvilleas and crammed with decades of memorabilia. It began its current incarnation serving passengers arriving on the new Qantas airline in 1934 and was the first international runway and airport in Australia. The pub is on the old droving track and was a watering hole for the drovers as well as travellers heading north and south.
