CONSIDERED by many to be the capital of North West Queensland, Mount Isa has long been a multicultural community.

The mining activity in the region attracted people from many nations from its earliest years as a raw frontier town, and it is this blend of nationalities that has given “The Isa” a cosmopolitan character that sets it aside from many other outback centres.

Mount Isa is Queensland’s largest provincial city west of the Great Dividing Range and is home to 23,500 people who come from more than 50 different nations.

The city’s beginnings are a long way from its present status as a commercial and industrial centre. A lone prospector, John Campbell Miles, was camped beside the Leichhardt River while travelling to the Northern Territory on a gold prospecting trip. He sampled a rock outcrop while he was there, he named the area Mount Isa … and the rest is history. He had found one of the richest copper, silver, lead and zinc ore bodies in the world.

The mining town is dominated by the sprawling Xstrata Mount Isa Mine and its 270m exhaust stack from the lead smelter. Xstrata 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. This year is the 85th anniversary of Mount Isa Mines and various celebrations will be held throughout the year.

From the popular surface tours at the mine to the inspirational interpretation of Australia’s ancient past at the multi-award-winning Riversleigh Fossils Centre, the city’s attractions are numerous.

The biggest attraction, Outback at Isa, is a “home in the outback” for visitors and a great spot to start when discovering Mount Isa. Other popular venues and activities include the Royal Flying Doctor Base, School of the Air and barramundi fishing at Lake Moondarra. The lake is regularly restocked with barramundi fingerlings, so try your luck. It’s only 15 minutes’ drive from the CBD, so you can be there in nearly no time!

Mount Isa also has a range of shopping facilities, including major chain stores.

The Isa is set against the backdrop of the Selwyn Ranges and the stacks from the mine create a distinctive city skyline.

The twin jewels in Mount Isa’s crown are the spectacular Lawn Hill Gorge and its neighbour, the Riversleigh Fossil Fields, both of which can be accessed from Mount Isa.

Mount Isa is also known as the rodeo capital of Australia as it is home to the largest rodeo in the southern hemisphere. This year’s rodeo will be held from August 7 to 9. With prizemoney of more than $200,000, it attracts top class competitors from throughout Australia and overseas and is the biggest event on the Australian rodeo calendar. Many events are held in conjunction with the rodeo; so many that they need a headstart. The pre-rodeo events begin on August 5.

Some functions to look forward to include a mardi gras, horse race, ball, art and photographic exhibitions, entertainment and a ute muster. The mardi gras is especially colourful entertainment. The streets of the CBD are closed and people spill out onto the streets for the parade, dancing, carnival rides and festival fare.

The multi-million-dollar Buchanan Park Complex is home of the Mount Isa Rodeo and has been purpose built to feature a rectangular arena similar to those used in the United States. The rodeo, run by Mount Isa Rotarians, has raised more than $2.5 million for charity in the years it has been running.