Day 46: Mount Isa

Spent the day checking out the sights in Mount Isa today. First stop was the mining museum at 'Outback at Isa' where we all learnt about the history of Mount Isa and it's current production of Copper, Lead, Zinc and Silver. This would be a Geologist's dream to visit these places (Monz - yes you).

Next stop was the Riversleigh fossil exhibition. These date back to about 20 million years ago and cover a whole heap of prehistoric Australian marsupials They've discovered a heap of different marsupials in a limestone bed just south of Lawn Hill Gorge including 5 different types of Thylacines (one known as a marsupial lion), a carnivorous kangarooo, diprotodons and some huge thing with a trunk.

It was quite amazing how many different types of animals they are finding out there, and still finding new ones. The kids got to do a practice excavation too.

The last thing for the day was to check out the largest of Mt Isa's man made lakes. A picnic area at the lake proved eventful when we turned up and were swamped by peacocks.

Richard