CLONCURRY CALLING

STEEPED IN HISTORY AND SURROUNDED BY RED- DIRT RANGES, CLONCURRY IS MORE THAN JUST A FUEL STOP ON THE WAY TO MOUNT ISA

- WORDS AND PHOTOS KEV SMITH

The Cloncurry region in the heart of Queensland's outback has always fascinated me, though I've never really stopped to dig deep.

Explorer Robert O'Hara Burke and his ill-fated expedition passed through here back in 1861 on their race to the Gulf of Carpentaria. They crossed the Selwyn Ranges at the height of summer - a great relief for Burke, whose camels were bleeding and exhausted from the rough terrain - but soon faced wet-season rains and monsoonal heat. He named the Cloncurry River after a good friend in Ireland, and it was after following the Cloncurry into the Flinders River that the party made its furthest northern camp, number 119.

Today it's a rich mining town sitting in the shadow of Mount Isa, 120km away - with just as much to see and do, but without the crowds. The first port of call in Cloncurry for any visitor should be the Unearthed Visitor Information Centre on the eastern side of town. Set on several acres, there's plenty to see and do, with old mining gear, restored buildings and a fascinating museum inside the main centre.

The old police station on site was originally located miles away at Oona Siding. Built in the early 1900s, it was pulled down and moved to the small township of Dobbyn, near the Mary Kathleen mine site. It received a full refurb when it was relocated to its current position and is now filled with memorabilia from that era.