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Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Old Jan 9th 2007, 6:19 am
  #1  
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Default Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Hi all

I am seriously thinking about moving from the beautiful Sunshine Coast to Mt Isa if I get a teaching position there. My husband would get good work there (I think) as he is a maintenance engineer so could work in the mines. The reason for this crazy move is without doing my country service (working in a remote school for 2-3 years) I wont get a perm position on the coast.

Any thoughts on the area would be appreciated. Thanks
Michelle
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 6:29 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by Vernons
Hi all

I am seriously thinking about moving from the beautiful Sunshine Coast to Mt Isa if I get a teaching position there. My husband would get good work there (I think) as he is a maintenance engineer so could work in the mines. The reason for this crazy move is without doing my country service (working in a remote school for 2-3 years) I wont get a perm position on the coast.

Any thoughts on the area would be appreciated. Thanks
Michelle
Ha! Yes, I have been to Mt Isa.
Please bear in mind this was 15 years ago, but no doubt someone will tell you if it's improved. It's mainly a transient mining town and it produces huge amounts of lead, silver, copper etc. The smell of it was appalling though I guess you'd get used to it if you lived there - I guess it's from smelting? It's fairly large and has an airport with links to Cairns and Townsville.
It has an amazing rodeo, which was held when I was there, so that was really something to see but there didn't seem to be a huge amount going on in the town itself. Of course, I was only there for a week, so you'll have to take that with the pinch of salt it deserves.
You can do mine tours and mine everything actually, which is fun .... for a time!
I really hated the smell and the feel of the place, but I'm not a miner. I guess some guys would find it enjoyable.
That's the sum of my info I'm afraid. Sorry it's not better. I really would go on a nice fat reconnaissance trip to really see it for what it is. However if you need to do your duty, there are probably worse places to go, such as where Arkon lives perhaps.

Good luck.
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 6:31 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by iPom
Ha! Yes, I have been to Mt Isa.
Please bear in mind this was 15 years ago, but no doubt someone will tell you if it's improved. It's mainly a transient mining town and it produces huge amounts of lead, silver, copper etc. The smell of it was appalling though I guess you'd get used to it if you lived there - I guess it's from smelting? It's fairly large and has an airport with links to Cairns and Townsville.
It has an amazing rodeo, which was held when I was there, so that was really something to see but there didn't seem to be a huge amount going on in the town itself. Of course, I was only there for a week, so you'll have to take that with the pinch of salt it deserves.
You can do mine tours and mine everything actually, which is fun .... for a time!
I really hated the smell and the feel of the place, but I'm not a miner. I guess some guys would find it enjoyable.
That's the sum of my info I'm afraid. Sorry it's not better. I really would go on a nice fat reconnaissance trip to really see it for what it is. However if you need to do your duty, there are probably worse places to go, such as where Arkon lives perhaps.

Good luck.
Where does Arkon live?
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 6:34 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by Vernons
Where does Arkon live?
A few hours North of Sydney. All the intelligent people have left there.
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 6:37 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by iPom
A few hours North of Sydney. All the intelligent people have left there.
Mt Isa fills me with absolute dread. Maybe I will just have to stick to supply teaching! Hopefully I will be a mum at some pont anyway and I can just send the oh half out to work (not Mt Isa), but then I might go stir crazy.
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 6:40 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by Vernons
Mt Isa fills me with absolute dread. Maybe I will just have to stick to supply teaching! Hopefully I will be a mum at some pont anyway and I can just send the oh half out to work (not Mt Isa), but then I might go stir crazy.
Are there any other places you can go teach?

I just don't know if Mt Isa wouldn't kill your soul before you completed your teaching! But go and have a look anyway... you should, even if just to mark it off your list.
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 6:44 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by iPom
Are there any other places you can go teach?

I just don't know if Mt Isa wouldn't kill your soul before you completed your teaching! But go and have a look anyway... you should, even if just to mark it off your list.
I found a link....

I had forgotten about the tent museum!


http://www.theage.com.au/news/Queens...500203592.html

There were a few good eating places, I recall. I've probably painted it very black, but that's just my impression. Go check it out.
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 6:50 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by iPom
I found a link....

I had forgotten about the tent museum!


http://www.theage.com.au/news/Queens...500203592.html

There were a few good eating places, I recall. I've probably painted it very black, but that's just my impression. Go check it out.
Yea if they offer me a position there and the OH gets offered a job with $$$$ then it will be worth alook. Problem is my heart if not in it, I feel too old and I just want to enjoy my time here on the Sunshine coast. I think I will have to accept that supply teaching is the compromise I will have to make for getting to come here! Doom and gloom, think I will go out or some cake!!
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 6:51 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by Vernons
Mt Isa fills me with absolute dread. Maybe I will just have to stick to supply teaching! Hopefully I will be a mum at some pont anyway and I can just send the oh half out to work (not Mt Isa), but then I might go stir crazy.
There must be other QLD country places which would fulfil requirements
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 7:00 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Guy I work with has to go out there about every 6-8 weeks for a few days at a time and he f***ing hates the place. He's an Aussie from rural Qld as well.
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 7:18 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Hi

I have never been there, but deal with a few firms that are there on a regular basis. My knowledge of the place is complete hearsay, here goes.

Its bloody hot

Its bloody dusty

Its the largest city in the World (allegedly)

Its golf course is all dust except for the tees and greens

A local mining firm will pay your 1st months rent/mortgage to get you to move there.

Its good for families but not for teenagers

And that is all I know about Mount Isa

And before anybody tries to blow me out of the water,

I HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE, ITS WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD

John
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 7:30 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

One of the guys from work spent a few days there last year on business. he said he would rather resign than go there again he was bored, it was hot, and dusty.
Still, depends if you could stick it for a while for the work experience and the cash your OH would pull in. If you sit yourself a time limit it might be do-able. How much do you love the comforts of civilisation?
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 7:34 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by Pollyana
One of the guys from work spent a few days there last year on business. he said he would rather resign than go there again he was bored, it was hot, and dusty.
Still, depends if you could stick it for a while for the work experience and the cash your OH would pull in. If you sit yourself a time limit it might be do-able. How much do you love the comforts of civilisation?
There must be community stuff there though.. I imagine a visitor would be bored esp if he only had his evenings to fill after working all day.

I have googled and it seems they're all quite busy in the drama dept.
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 9:28 am
  #14  
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by jond
Hi

I have never been there, but deal with a few firms that are there on a regular basis. My knowledge of the place is complete hearsay, here goes.

Its bloody hot

Its bloody dusty

Its the largest city in the World (allegedly)

Its golf course is all dust except for the tees and greens

A local mining firm will pay your 1st months rent/mortgage to get you to move there.

Its good for families but not for teenagers

And that is all I know about Mount Isa

And before anybody tries to blow me out of the water,

I HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE, ITS WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD

John
Been down to Mooloolaba for coffee, cake and a walk along the beach. Could not do that in Mt Isa. I think we will stay put!
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Old Jan 9th 2007, 9:43 am
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Default Re: Anyone live in, been to or heard about Mt. Isa????

Originally Posted by Vernons
Hi all

I am seriously thinking about moving from the beautiful Sunshine Coast to Mt Isa if I get a teaching position there. My husband would get good work there (I think) as he is a maintenance engineer so could work in the mines. The reason for this crazy move is without doing my country service (working in a remote school for 2-3 years) I wont get a perm position on the coast.

Any thoughts on the area would be appreciated. Thanks
Michelle
Lived there for 12 months in the early 90s

Its not very different to other Qld country towns, except that its a lot bigger and there is money about. Hot in summer 42 or 43. And the locals provide good entertainment. The ex taught at Sunset.
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