Mount Isa in north-west Queensland, 820 km west of Townsville, is a mineral-rich region stretching from south of Cloncurry to west of Burketown.
Kalkadoon (Kalkatungu) People
The Kalkadoon traditionally lived in the Mount Isa region of Queensland.
Barry Blake undertook field research and analysis of some indigenous languages, including Kalkatungu, once spoken around the Mount Isa
area. This research was the basis for his M.A.thesis (1968) and has allowed some of the grammar and the language to be reconstructed.
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| Aborigines from north Queensland - circa 1900, Possibly members of the Kalkadoon tribe of Australian aborigines from the Mt Isa region. Caption: Queensland Blacks 'North', Aussie~mobs |
The Kalkadoon used a sign language. Such sign languages were most extensive in Aboriginal groups with speech taboos. For example, the concept of a land snake was indicated by pointing the forefinger while rotating the wrist and extending one's arm outwards (Roth, 1897).
Here
Below are some quotes from W E Roth's 1897 work, Ethnological Studies Among The North-west-central Queensland Aborigines, about the Kalkadoon.
"In the Leichhardt-Selwyn District, the Kalkadoon eat various forms of grass-seed under the name of Jeun-yel: pig-weed, or poon-jo, and the wild-rice are also common dietaries."
"The Mitakoodi obtain their emunets by barter from the Kalkadoon."
"The hunters, their bodies greased with ashes, and heads covered with bushes to conceal themselves the better in the darkness, will noiselessly swim up to the unsuspecting creatures and despatch them with boomerangs, nulanulas, &c. The Kalkadoon, in the Leichhardt-Selwyn District, often sneak upon these birds in the daytime."
".....the Kalkadoon name a hut wul-li-he-ri (of. Pitta-Pitta term wul-lo-a). It is built very much like the second variety of winji-winji mentioned as being met with at Boulia. Either a markedly-bent treetrunk or a low-lying horizontal branch is utilised against which to fix the vertical saplings and boughs (fig. 251) : the latter, of course, are wider apart below than above, where they practically touch. Where these sticks (hoong-ga) are fixed into the ground a mound of earth is collected all round, which forms the limit of the surface-space to be enclosed: from this ring of earth is piled up bundle upon bundle of grass, bushes, &c, twined and intertwined among the slanting sticks, which are thus assisted in maintaining their position. Occasionally, bark may be seen superimposed in addition."  |
| W E Roth's 1897 work, Ethnological Studies Among The North-west-central Queensland Aborigines, about the Kalkadoon. |
"Pit-throwing is a game played by the Kalkadoon. Any fairly-sized bone, often a human shin, is slung by means of attached twine over an emu-net into a pit or hole exc^tvated on its further side. Considering the great distance often intervening between the thrower and the excavation, great skill is apparently necessary in making the bone fall into the hole without touching the net."
".......some of the Kalkadoon can also make rain. The feather-down of the emu is stuck with blood over the whole face, neck, and chest, back and front, down to the waist, including the arms as far as the wrists. The performance, in which two or three old men, never young men or women, take part, is carried out at mid-day, when the sun is high up."
"Very young infants are carried either in a koolamon or else on a sheet of bark, slung up to the side. In the latter form, as practised among the Kalkadoon, it is made from a piece of ti-tree, the bark having been scorched on its inner surface so as to produce a curling over inwards at the sides : this is slung with twine, &c., over the mother's opposite shoulder, and balanced pretty carefully with the hand to prevent the youngster from falling out at either end (Fig. 436)."
See illustrations and more
here
1860s
The first Europeans to encounter the Kalkadoon people were the four members of the Burke and Wills expedition in early 1861. The expedition travelled northwards to the east of Mount Isa, through to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
A prospector, Ernest Henry, in 1867, discovered copper deposits in the Cloncurry area to the east of Mount Isa. Most of the miners were Cornish, but some were Aboriginal.
1870s
Gold was found at Bower Bird
between 1870 and 1872.
The first pastoral station in the region, Bridgewater Station, was established by the Brown brothers on the Malbon River in 1874.
The Kalkadoon Wars between European colonists and the Kalkadoon people occurred between 1870-1890.
1880s
In 1883, Kalkadoon warriors killed Marcus Beresford, a Native Police officer and wounded 5 Aboriginal troopers in the McKinlay Ranges. James Powell, a prominent pastoralist, was also speared by the Kalkadoon in July 1884.
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| Brisbane Telegraph (Qld. : 1948 - 1954) |
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| Brisbane Telegraph (Qld. : 1948 - 1954), |
1900s
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| Frontier violnce (Kalkadoon Wars), Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Saturday 13 October 1900 |
1920s
John Campbell Miles was camping on February 22, 1923, when he snapped off a piece of rock and immediately noticed it "contained mineral from its weight". Subsequent analysis revealed significant lead-silver deposits (lead content of up to 78%).
Miles and four farmers staked out the
first claims in the area.
Some say that Mount Isa is named after Mount Ida in Western Australia, and others calim that Miles named it for his sister Isabelle.
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| Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947) |
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| Mt Isa Railway Station, QLD, 1920s |
Mount Isa Post Office opened on 1 August 1924.
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| Mt Isa, residence of the, superintendent and,mine manager. Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903; 1916 - 1926), Wednesday 30 April 1924 |
By 1924, about 200 miners arrive at Mt Isa. By 1926, there are about 400.
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| A group of prospectors, Mt Isa, QLD, Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938), Wednesday 21 May 1924 |
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Mt Isa-Duchess Combined Cricket Team, 1925, MimagVol. 1 No. 1
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The population growth of Mount Isa was rapid from 1926 to 1930, causing housing shortages.
In 1927, there were two hotels, two shops, a movie theatre, and a few boarding houses.
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| Offices and stores of the Mt. IsaCompany at Mt. Isa silver lead mines, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 12 February 1927 |
On August 1, 1927, three miners had an accident and fell into a shaft. When one injured miner was transported by air from Mount Isa to Cloncurry in November 1927, this led to the
establishment of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
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| The First Flying Doctor Flight, November 1927. THE PLANE WHICH BROUGHT A MAN WITH A BROKEN BACK FROM MT. ISATO CLONCURRY Left to Right : Ambulance Officer, Dr Simpson, Pilot Evans. Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Saturday 5 November 1927 |
The British company Russo-Asiatic constructed the Isa Mines settlement from 1928, providing housing, recreational facilities, a store, butcher shop, bank and post-office, and water and electricity supply.
The rail-line connecting Townsville to Duchess was
extended to Mount Isa. The official opening of the Duchess to Mount Isa Railway line on 6 April 1929.
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| The engine, wilh Mr Mullan at the controls, breaking the ribbon at Mounl Isa, QLD, Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Saturday 13 April 1929 |
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| In the schoolyard of the Mount Isa State School, 1929, QLD Register |
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| Rifle Creek Dam nearing completion, showing eighteen feet of water ready to supply Mount Isa, Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Saturday 11 May 1929 |
In 1929, the population was about 600.
The Catholic church building was transported from Duchess in 1929.
The settlement of Mount Isa Mines was built by the company and guarded by a gatekeeper. By mid-1929, fifty workmens' cottages and seven staff
houses had been completed.
1930s
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| Tent houses, Mount Isa, QLD, circa 1930, SLQLD |
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| Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Friday 4 April 1930 |
By 1931, the population was over 2000.
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| Argent Hotel, Mount Isa, QLD - 1931, Vintage QLD |
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| An Ore Train arriving over the Top of the Ore Pocket. The Electric Locomotive hauls up to twenty loaded Ore Cars. Mt ISA, QLD, Northern Miner (Charters Towers, Qld. : 1874 - 1954), Wednesday 24 June 1931 |
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| Four Drills rigged for operation in the face of a level which is being driven-^Sharpcned Drillslying in the foreground, MT ISA, Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Tuesday 23 June 1931, |
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| Argent Hotel, Mt Isa, QLD, 1930s |
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| Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), Saturday 28 November 1931 |
In 1931, the Mt Isa Mine was mechanised in a way not previously seen in Australia, with mechanised drilling and mechanical shovels.
Between 1933 and 1967, there were 28 documented removals of Aboriginal people from Mount Isa (mostly to Palm Island).
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| Mt Isa, Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938), Wednesday 13 September 1933 |
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| Week (Brisbane, Qld. : 1876 - 1934), Wednesday 18 October 1933 |
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| MT. ISA MINE AND TOWNSHIP QLD, Walkabout. Vol. 2 No. 9 (1 July 1936) |
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| Main street in Mount Isa, QLD, with Smiths Hotel on the left, ca. 1936 |
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| Staff at Mount Isa Station, 1937. Back L-R: Constable Jack Connolly, Sergeant Samuel Rutter, Constable Gordon Movatt. Front L-R: Constable Ted Dewhurst, Eric Zimitad, George Lucas, Gordon Birt (N.T Police), QLD Police Museum |
1940s and WWII
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| Sergeant (George Lucus, husband of Mrs. Lucas, of Mt Isa, who has been awarded the Military Medalfor gallant conduct at Tobruk. Sergeant (taorgc Lucus, husband of Mrs. Lucas, of Mt Isa, who has been awarded the Military Medal for gallant conduct at Tobruk. Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Thursday 16 October 1941 |
The threat to Mount Isa seemed very real because there appeared to be little military opposition left in the north of Australia after Darwin was bombed by Japanese aircraft on 19 February 1942.
Mt Isa was a US Army hospital (No 17 Station Hospital) site.
To protect Mount Isa District Hospital from air raids, the Underground Hospital was built during March/April 1942 in the
grounds of the Mount Isa District Hospital by volunteer miners from Mount Isa Mines.
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| Leichhardt River in flood at Mt Isa - circa 1940s. Vintage QLD |
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| Cloncurry Advocate (Qld. : 1931 - 1953), Friday 18 September 1942 |
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MT. ISA D.F.M. WINNER Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Richardson, of Mount Isa, have received advice that
their eldest son, night-Sergeant Q. A. Richardson, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Saturday 30 October 1943 |
Mt Isa was an important depot for the transport of supplies to the Northern Territory. American servicemen were stationed in the town.
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| Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), Friday 24 May 1946 |
After WWII, Mount Isa Mines donated over $26 million dollars (today's currency) in copper to assist the United Nations in rebuilding Europe.
Casa Grande, home of General Manager of Mount Isa Mines, Julius Kruttschnitt II, was
built in 1949.
1950s
In 1951, 15 acres located in the Cloncurry Gold and Mineral Field was officially gazetted as an Aboriginal reserve. (cancelled 1958 and a new reserve gazetted in Parish of Heywood)
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Brothers RLFC Mt Isa, QLD, One of the original clubs of Mt Isa Rugby League, Mimag
Vol. 4 Nos. 4, 5, 6. (April, May, June, 1951) |
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| MT. ISA MARRIAGE BUREAU A remarkable aspect of Mount Isa life is the high marriage rate. Girls come to Mount Isa from many different parts of Australia and also from overseas, but they remain single for only a short time. Mimag. Vol. 5 Number 11 (November, 1952)
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Julius Kruttschnitt was General Manager of Mount Isa Mines (MIM).
A portion of the company town consisted of 60 tents erected in 1930. The MIM provided the money to convert the dwellings into tent houses. A corrugated iron wall
designed to create a ventilation channel, was developed while Kruttschnitt was general manager.
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| An informal photo of section of the Mount Isa troop. Back row from left: Sprs. Hore Ebzery, Kennedy, Flynn, Mabb, Romer, Willardsen, Thomson. Front row from left: Sprs. Copelin, Reid, McGeechan, Harrison, Thorley, Phillips. Mimag Vol. 6, No. 6 (June, 1953) |
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| A section of the crowd lining the street of the procession. Mt Isa, QLD. Mimag Vol. 6, No. 6 (June, 1953) |
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| Sunday Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1926 - 1954), Sunday 23 May 1954 |
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| The line-up at Mt Isa, QLD, Mimag. Vol. 7, No. 10 (Oct., 1954) |
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| Sir Wlliam and Lady Slim spent a day in Mt. Isa and met many people. Mimag Vol. 8, No. 4 (Apr., 1955) |
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| 1. May Day, Mt, Isa, QLD. St John's Ambulance workers were impressive in the procession which was led by Mount Isa Pipe Band. 2. A tug-o-war contest between the Copper Smelter men and a team of Finns proved popular. Although the husky Copper men hod much brawn on their side, and won the first pull, the Finns dug their toes in and "walked away" in the second contest. |
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| The Inlander train at Mt Isa, QLD - circa 1955, Vintage QLD |
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| General view of Mt Isa, QLD, 1950s |
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| Housing for mine workers, Mt Isa, QLD, 1956, SLQLD |
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| Berrigan Advocate (Cobram, NSW. : 1891 - 1970), Tuesday 24 December 1957 |
There was a population of about 12,000 people in 1957.
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| Mt Isa High School, QLD, Mimag, Vol. 11 No. 1, (January, 1958) |
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| Students Mt Isa High School, QLD, Mimag, Vol. 11 No. 1, (January, 1958) |
In 1959, the first Mount Isa Rodeo is held.
1960s
The Mount Isa Mines dispute, was an 8 month industrial dispute between miners and management at Mount Isa Mines (MIM) beginning in 1964.
1970s
In 1970, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Charles, Prince of Wales and Princess Anne toured Australia. During the trip, Queen and Prince Philip flew to Mount Isa for an overnight stay.
See photos here
Yallambee and Orana Park, were the
location of Aboriginal camps.
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| Mt Isa, QLD, 1970, Vintage QLD |
A global downturn in metal prices occurred from the late 1970s.
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| Mt Isa Hotel and Boyd's Hotel in the 1970s — in Mount Isa, QLD. Vintage QLD |
Yallambee and Orana Park Aboriginal Reserves administered by Mount Isa City Council.
1980s
In 1986, Mount Isa hosts the North Queensland Games.
2000s
On 5 March 2017, Mount Isa was chosen as a host city of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
In the 2021 census, the town of Mount Isa had a population of 19,226 people.
2023: Mount Isa 100 Years Celebration.
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| Mount Isa celebrates 100 Years of history, culture and progress in 2023. |
Around Mt Isa
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| Spinifex State College Junior Campus, Mt Isa, QLD, established in 1953 has a long association with Mount Isa Mines and has five rare Hawksley Prefabricated School Buildings, which the Queensland Government adopted post WWII due to shortage of materials |
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| Casa Grande home of General Manager of Mount Isa Mines, Julius Kruttschnitt II, was built in 1949. |
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| Camooweal Street: Tent House, Mt Isa, bullt 1930[ |
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| Entrance to Underground Hospital, Mt Isa, QLD, built from March to April 1942 by Mount Isa Mines. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 24 June 1999 |
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| The Old Mount Isa Hospital Maternity Wing // The Beth Anderson Museum (was originally the hospital in Kuridala), Mt Isa, QLD |
Things To Do and Places To Go
Kalkadoon Dictionary
