Leichart Station
We were up early and back on the road to make sure we got to Mt Isa in time for the appointment for the fridge to be fixed. Mick and Joy took their time and would meet us at our next stop, Jock and I headed in to Julia creek town to find a café for a coffee for the road. As I was sat in the car waiting for Jock Michelle’s voice came over the radio. They had gotten up really early in the hope of catching us up we all got our coffees and headed off. When we got close to Mt Isa, actually it was at the turn off to where we were going stay, I jumped in the car with Michelle and Trevor got in with Jock. The boys would head in to town to get the fridge fixed and Michelle and I would head out to Leichart Station where we were staying for a couple of nights, close enough to explore Mt Isa and pick up fresh supplies.
By evening time Trevor and Jock were back, fridge fixed up under warranty thank goodness and not long after them Mick and Joy arrived.
Exploring Mount Isa
The next day we went in to Mount Isa for a look see how much it had changed since our last visit some years ago. Wow, it is so much bigger than I remember and unfortunately I can not say it is a lovely town! It is one big mine, the town has been built right up around the mine. The mine is a huge eye sore.
We did find a lookout to go up and look over the whole of the town and we found a coffee club for a coffee. Must have been the best place in town it was packed and we waited about 45 minutes for a coffee!! Good job it was nice. Are you getting the feeling I did not like Mt Isa?? We didn’t it is dirty and has nothing picturesque or pretty about it. I am so glad we were staying at Leichart Station.
We were not in town long and it was a relief to go back to such a nice setting at Leichart station. That evening we were invited over for the happy hour bbq. As the station is a working station the workers gather for dinner around the huge bbq every evening also the miners who live on the station.
Exploring Leichart Station
We were given permission to explore the station some more so Jock, Emma and I jumped in the car and had a good look around. It was so interesting. One of the fourty water holes of the property was close to our site, it was full of birds and some cattle. We then came across some horses, they looked friendly enough and we stopped to take some photos from the window of the car. The horse started to wander towards us and before I knew it it was trying to get its head in the car, I put the window up not knowing if id get bitten or not. It chewed on our mirror!! Emma was laughing her head off.
A bit further on we came across where all the work was happening, cattle yards, there had been some mustering and the cattle were being put in to different pens. The working dogs are fascinating to watch, I could have sat there all day. I do not know why but I did not get any photos of that just sat there and watched.
We found an old airport a bit further up, one only used for the station in by gone years. Fascinating to see an old plane, old cars even an old snooker table propped up in the shed with a piano, imagine the stories these things could tell. Who owned them? How long had they been there? It all fascinates me.
As we were heading back to go the other way we spotted some cages, we wondered what they were used for and I reckoned it was where the working dogs live. As we turned to leave we saw a great sight, the working dogs coming home after a full days work. The Ute was driving slowly and the dogs all running behind. We got into the car not knowing if they were friendly but the bloke with them told us they would be fine, so we got out and took photos. The dogs looked very healthy and even looked as if they had enjoyed their day, mind you they were about to get fed!
We had been told it was a lovely drive to go down by the river at this time of year it is dry. There was a lovely little building sitting on the hill which I was told later was the old abattoir, not really what I wanted to hear, I wanted to hear a fanciful story about it lol. Emma and I collected a couple of rocks from the river bed to colour as Islasstones. ( Look that up on facebook). Emma and I were also fascinated by the quartz rock.
The sun was starting to go down so we thought we had better head back to camp. Just in time for happy hour again. I took more photos of the working area around our camp some of the trucks have been sitting there a long time. I will have to do some research on this station one day I have loved exploring it. Hope we get to look around a few more on this trip.
Douglas's Downunder 