Mount Isa: Difference between revisions
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Mount Isa has fifteen residential suburbs and four industrial-bushland suburbs. The Leichhardt River divides the city into areas known as "mineside" and "townside". The main mine and the Airport are on the mineside whilst the majority of the town, including the [[Central Business District|CBD]], are on the townside. |
Mount Isa has fifteen residential suburbs and four industrial-bushland suburbs. The Leichhardt River divides the city into areas known as "mineside" and "townside". The main mine and the Airport are on the mineside whilst the majority of the town, including the [[Central Business District|CBD]], are on the townside. |
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*Happy Valley (mineside) |
*Happy Valley (mineside) |
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Revision as of 20:54, 16 February 2008
| Mount Isa Error: unknown |state= value (help) | |||||||||
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 location of Mount Isa | |||||||||
| Population | 26,000 (2007 estimate) | ||||||||
| • Density | 0.5/km2 (1.3/sq mi) | ||||||||
| Established | 1923 | ||||||||
| Area | 42,904 km2 (16,565.3 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | ||||||||
| Location |
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Mount Isa is a city in North-West Queensland, Australia. It came into existence because the area holds vast mineral deposits. Mount Isa Mines is arguably the most productive single mine in world history – based on combined production of lead, silver, copper and zinc. MIM is one of the largest producers of zinc, lead and silver and holds one of the world's largest underground mines.
With a population nearing 26,000 in the city and 36,000 in the surrounding district, Mount Isa is a significant administrative, commercial and industrial centre for the state's vast north-western region. Although situated in an arid area, the artificial Lake Moondarra to the north provides both drinking water and an area for watersports, birdwatching and recreation.
History
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The city came into existence soon after 1923 when Lone Prospector John Campbell Miles discovers a rich seam of silver-lead, the western edge of the Cloncurry field. Named after the Mount Ida goldfields in Western Australia, mining operations began there a year later. In 1964, the town made national headlines after thay events leading to the infamous 1964 Mount Isa. Strike.
Local Governance
The Mount Isa City Council administers an area of 42 904 km², and the town of Camooweal, located 188 km to the west, is in fact a 'suburb' of the city. Mount Isa once laid claim to being the largest city in the world by area, with a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records. This is despite the fact that both the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia and the direct-controlled municipality of Chongqing in China are considerably larger.
Local Industry
Mount Isa's industry is largely dependent on mining. Xstrata Plc operates the Mount Isa Mines lease adjacent to the town, which comprises the "Enterprise" underground copper mine, X41 underground copper mine, "Black Star Open Cut" silver-lead zinc mine, and metallurgical processing facilities. Silver-lead-zinc ore is also mined 20 km to the north at Hilton from the "George Fisher" underground mine, and the "Handlebar Hill" open cut, which is trucked back to Mount Isa for processing.
Copper and lead are smelted on site, with anodes and zinc concentrate being transported 900 km to the city and port of Townsville on the east coast. The lead ingots are transported to a refinery in Britain where the silver is extracted. The mine is the most significant landmark in the area, with the stack from the lead smelter (built 1978), standing 270 m tall, visible from all parts of the city and up to 40 km out.
Education
Mount Isa has two high schools: Spinifex State College and Good Shepherd Catholic College. Spinifex State College has three main campuses – junior (8-10), senior (11-12) and residential (a boarding campus). The residential campus of Spinifex College is unique in the fact that it is the only State-run boarding-type school in Queensland. Mount Isa is also home to School of the Air, a unique way of schooling isolated students. The city also holds the main campus of the Mount Isa Institute of TAFE offering courses in a multiple range of fields. In addition, James Cook University has a presence, with the Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health in the hospital complex.
Culture
The local theatre group, the Mount Isa Theatrical Society, often holds plays and musicals. Also the Mount Isa Friends of the Theatre holds a musical every two years. Mount Isa also has a string orchestra and a concert band.
Recreation is abundant in Mount Isa with most sports represented in some form. Cricket, rugby, league and tennis are the most common but BMX, shooting, dancing and ten-pin bowling are also present.
Mount Isa also has a cinema complex that contains three air-conditioned cinemas, a skate park/aquatic centre and a multi-purpose sporting complex for basketball and other indoor sports.
The city is also known for its rodeo and Mardi Gras street parade every August. There is an annual Multicultural Festival in early September.
In August 2007, Mount Isa made an appearance on Andrew Denton's popular Enough Rope television show as an 'on the road' special.
Demographics
Mount Isa City has experienced a rapid surge in population following years of decline. The population of the city is about 25,900 but services a regional population of almost 37,000.
Famous People from Mount Isa
- William Barton, Didgeridoo player
- Simon Black, Australian rules footballer
- Gerard Denton, cricketer
- Simmone Jade Mackinnon, actress
- Deborah Mailman, actress
- Pat Mackie, union leader (1964/5 dispute)
- Gene Miles, rugby league player
- Greg Norman, golfer
- Scott Prince, rugby league player
- Pat Rafter, tennis player
- Carl Webb, rugby league player
- John White, squash player
- William Sweetenham, Olympic Swimming Coach. Formerly Australia, Hong Kong and now UK.
- Douglas Rees Laing, International agricultural scientist
- Nathan Fien, rugby league player
- Richard De Chazel, international fashion designer
Media
- 4LM 666 (commercial)
- Hot FM 102.5 (commercial)
- MOB FM 100.9 (commercial)
- ABC North-West Queensland 106.5FM
- Triple J Australia
Television
- Southern Cross Seven
- Imparja
- SBS
- ABC
- Austar
- The North West Star - printed daily Mon-Fri
- The Courier Mail - Mon-Sat
- Sunday Mail - Sun
Suburbs
Mount Isa has fifteen residential suburbs and four industrial-bushland suburbs. The Leichhardt River divides the city into areas known as "mineside" and "townside". The main mine and the Airport are on the mineside whilst the majority of the town, including the CBD, are on the townside.[citation needed]
- Happy Valley (mineside)
- Mica Creek (mineside) - includes Mica Creek Powerhouse
- Healy (townside)
- Healy Heights (townside) - residential suburb currently under construction
- Townview (townside)
- Parkside (mineside) - Mount Isa's first and largest suburb.
- Mornington (townside)- the 2nd fastest growing suburb in Queensland)
- The Gap (townside)
- Mount Isa City (townside) - includes main shopping centres and eateries
- Miles End (mineside)
- Menzies (townside) - includes Buchanan Park
- Pioneer (townside) - includes TAFE campus and ten-pin bowling complex
- Leichhardt (mineside)
- Soldiers Hill (mineside) - all streets and parks named after famous war locations
- Sunset (townside)
- Winston (townside)
- Ryan (townside) - mostly industrial, includes army and SES barracks
- Kalkadoon (mineside) - includes airport and Kalkadoon Park
- Lanskey (townside)
- Spreadborough (townside) - drag racing track, speedway. Mostly bushland and light industry.
- Breakaway Estate(townside) - east of the main city, first when you drive in.
Transport
Mount Isa city and surrounds are serviced by a taxi service. Also, a taxi service known as "Isa-Curry" express transports passengers to and from the neighbouring centre of Cloncurry to Mt Isa and back again, usually for shopping and medical requirements. Additionally, many of the city's clubs have courtesy buses to and from their establishments that run seven days a week and into the early hours of the morning. Greyhound Australia has a depot in Mt Isa, with coach services to and from Townsville, Brisbane and Tennant Creek.
The city is served by QR passenger train The Inlander, which travels overnight to Townsville twice a week in each direction. The train offers twinette, roomette, triple bunk and coach accommodations, and has a club car for movies and food.
Mount Isa Airport has regular daily services to Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns, with other services to many remote Outback communities in western Queensland.
Education
Mount Isa has eight public primary schools and three private primary schools:
- Happy Valley State School
- Healy State School
- Townview State School
- Barkly Highway State School
- Central State School
- Sunset State School
- Mount Isa School of Distance Education
- Mount Isa Special School
- St Kieren's (private)
- St Josephs (private)
- Mount Isa Christian College (private)
And three high schools:
- Good Shepherd Catholic College (private)
- Mount Isa School of Distance Education (to grade ten)
- Spinifex State College (three campuses)
Climate
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily maximum temperature (°C) | 36.4 | 35.3 | 34.3 | 31.8 | 27.8 | 24.9 | 24.7 | 27.2 | 31.1 | 34.6 | 36.4 | 37.1 | 31.8 | |
| Mean daily minimum temperature (°C) | 23.8 | 23.5 | 21.8 | 18.6 | 13.9 | 10.1 | 8.6 | 10.3 | 14.3 | 18.5 | 21.4 | 23.0 | 17.3 | |
| Mean total rainfall (mm) | 110.6 | 99.4 | 65.6 | 16.5 | 13.1 | 3.8 | 6.4 | 4.1 | 6.9 | 20.5 | 34.2 | 70.7 | 454.3 | |
| Mean number of rain days | 7.8 | 7.3 | 4.2 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 36.6 | |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology | ||||||||||||||
See also
References
| This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2006) |
 | This article has an unclear citation style. |