SUN 14 - MON 15.07.2013: Mt Isa is an iconic Australian mining town discovered in 1923 by prospector John Campbell Miles. 'The Isa' is dominated by the sprawling Mt Isa Mine with its 270m exhaust stack from the lead smelter. Mount Isa Mine is the nation's deepest underground mine and is still the largest single producer of copper, silver, lead and zinc in the world. We stayed at the AAOK Moondarra Caravan Park which very much catered for the miners working in the area and as such, the shift changes at the mine were reflected in the caravan park traffic - did not have a great deal of sleep over the two nights! As we had experienced the Underground Copper Mine Tour in Tasmania we elected not to sign on for the Mount Isa Mine Tour. Instead we visited the Underground Hospital. In 1942 the Japanese had bombed Darwin and it was feared that Mount Isa could be the next target. The underground hospital was tunnelled into the side of a hill behind Mount Isa Base Hospital and had surgical, medical and maternity facilities, and even an outpatient's department and operating theatres. Fortunately it was never used for the purpose it was built. In the 1950's the entrances were covered, then in 1977 it was 'rediscovered'.
Termite Trivia: Spinifex Termites - build the largest mounds of all termites. Mounds average from 5 up to 7 metres high. It mainly feeds on spinifex, but will eat other types of vegetation.
Magnetic Termites - build tall, flat mounds with sharp, blade like ridges which always align north and south. They reach a height of 4 metres, 3 metres on the thick north-south and 1 metre on the east-west side. They have nothing to do with magnetism, rather they build mounds to avoid exposure to the sun.
Uses: termite mounds were used for floors - when wet and pulverized they set as hard as cement. Used for tennis courts and as ovens for baking bread.
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