Mary Kathleen, was a uranium mining town, about mid way between Mount Isa and Cloncurry.
It became the site of Australia’s first major rehabilitation project of a uranium mine, completed in 1985 at a cost of $19 million. All the buildings were carted away leaving the site empty. The sign on the gate at the Barkly Hwy entrance to the site says “Even though no buildings remain, the ghost town like atmosphere makes one wonder what this flourishing community would have been like”.
Today we can still see the concrete slabs where the original buildings stood, remnants of the town’s layout and the mine itself. And if we listen carefully we may hear the distant voices of the residents as they weave through the trees on the breeze. Jump aboard the North West Tours air conditioned coach to hear more stories as they navigate you to the glistening liquid centre of the old mine, with water so blue it could envy the Amalfi Coast. Or drive yourself, however we recommend a 4WD as the road is a little rough - even by Isa standards.