Day 14: Kynuna to Cloncurry

It is a shorter drive today, so we should be in Cloncurry before lunch. I filled the fuel tank in Winton as the cost of diesel here in Kynuna is $3.259/litre. 

There is only one town between Kynuna and Cloncurry on the Landsborough Highway, a blip on the map called McKinley. It was coffee time when we passed through, so we called in to the only building in town exhibiting any activity, The Walkabout Creek Hotel.

Built specifically for the filming of Crocodile Dundee, whilst the building looks old, it was built 40 years ago. The facade was used in the filming and a set located at the back of the premises, not part of this building, was used for the interior scenes. On completion of filming, it was opened as an operating Hotel, and has been ever since.

Obviously the interior decor reflects the film

The coffee was drinkable and the pub had just opened, so it was a bit early for a beer. A big road train pulled up out the front, and the driver came in to buy a T Shirt, so the merchandise must be OK.

Cloncurry is only a bit over an hour away, so if we don't hit too many roadworks, we should be there before lunch. Our caravan park is about 1 km on the eastern side of town, and we need to get a few grocery items, so we walked into town before lunch. Cornett's IGA seemed to really have this part of Australia well covered.

Best known for the birth of the Royal Flying Doctor Service in 1928. We didn't get to John Flynn Place Museum this time, but understand plans for a new one are under way, so we will get there in the future

Cloncurry main street is pretty basic with few essential stores, and not much else. We did see a statue  of a bull, I guess emphasising the importance of cattle grazing to the local economy. Cloncurry has survived on mining and agriculture for years.

The famous Mary Kathleen Uranium mine was operating near Cloncurry prior to it's closure in 1984, when the World was awash with uranium and it was no longer economical. At one point in the early 1900's, Cloncurry region was also the largest producer of copper in QLD. Mining still makes up about 60% of the economic activity of Cloncurry. Copper, Silver, Gold and Zinc are all mined in the area. A new copper mine EVA Copper project, located 75km North of Cloncurry is set to become QLD's largest copper mine. Cloncurry is expecting strong growth with these new investments in the area. In contrast to Mount Isa, Cloncurry seems to have some upside.

Across the road  and about 100 mtres from the caravan park is the Cloncurry visitor Information Centre, located in Mary Kathleen Memorial Park. Apparently when the mine was closed, the township disappeared. Buildings were sold, infrastructure dismantled and machinery moved out, it was one of the biggest auctions in Australia's history to sell the assets of Mary Kathleen. Some of them are now housed at the Memorial Park.

The old town sign

Old drilling rigs, boilers etc now on display at the park

Inside the Visitors Centre is a Museum titled "Cloncurry Unearthed." We decided to pay the modest entry fee and have a look inside, as we are told that much of Mary Kathleen's history is covered there.

Cloncurry Visitors Information Centre and "Cloncurry Unearthed"

It is true that items taken from the now Ghost Town of Mary Kathleen are on display in this museum, but there is much more. It also covers the history of Cloncurry, and has a geological section that was outstanding, with an almost unlimited supply of samples of minerals, gemstones etc mainly sourced from the Cloncurry / Mount Isa region. Stories of the mining industry abound.

Outside in the park there were other displays of fossils that have been found in the area.

A mural painted on a water tank is to commemorate the the devastating floods experienced here in 2019, where thousands of cattle were lost, only a few surviving by finding high ground on areas like railway tracks.

There was also a lookout where you could climb a number of stairs up a hill at the back of the complex and get a view of Cloncurry town.

The large windmill in the photo is located on the highway between the caravan park and Mary Kathleen memorial Park. It was originally built in 1910 in Rockhampton by Comet Windmills , and was upgraded and donated to the town by Daniels Pastoral Holdings, Cloncurry. Before it's renovation it had seen service in many areas of QLD.

Tomorrow we head to Camooweal, we decided to bypass Mount Isa due to concerns over youth crime.