Chimneys at the Mount Isa Mine.
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Rich mineral wealth underlies the existence of Mount Isa. The hub of all activity is the Mount Isa Mine (MIM), which has been in operation for more than 70 years and processes zinc, lead, silver and copper.
This is an area rich not only in minerals but also in history, paleontology and aboriginal heritage. Riversleigh, situated 250km north of Mount Isa, is the site of one of the world's most important fossil fields.
The people of Mount Isa are a cosmopolitan crew - 24,000 folk and about 50 nationalities between them. They live in Australia's most isolated city, surrounded by Australia's unique landscape - rugged outback beauty, big lakes, old mines and wildlife.
Mount Isa itself has lots of attractions, the biggest of which is the Outback at Isa Explorers Park, which features a parkland, caravanners' lounge, information centre, Riversleight Fossils Interpretive Centre, an underground mining experience and the Outback Innovations Gallery with its state-of-the-art exhibits portraying the area's history.
Also see the Frank Aston Underground Museum,, the Mount Isa Rodeo if you're in town in August, the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitors Centre, the School of Distance Education and Lake Moondarra.
