Pat around Aus: No ghosts yet!

I found out some information about Mary Kathleen and why it is a ghost town now.

Mary Kathleen was a uranium mining town near Mt. Isa. The town was named after one of the prospectors’ wives. The town was built for the miners and their families. The mine is located 6 km away. After uranium exports stopped the mine closed down and everything from the mine and the town were sold off in 1984. The farmer who owns the land now lets travellers camp here and explore the ruins of the town.

Mary Kathleen township before it was abandoned

http://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/mary-kathleen

We are camping in the street beside where the old community hall was when the mine was open back in 1956. There are no buildings any more just cement slabs where buildings were. The pool has nearly been filled in and there are trees growing everywhere.

Mary Kathleen Community Store -before

http://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/mary-kathleen

Community Hall and medical centre - today

Our camp

It’s a really cool place because cows come to say hi. We also found an old 2 cent coin dated 1972. Don’t be jealous I also found what looks like gold! It was really interesting using our Wikicamps phone app to ride around the streets and map out where all the old buildings were.

At Mary Kathleen there are approximately 30 roads, a full size swimming pool, supermarket, bank, school, cinema, basketball and tennis courts, boys scout and girl guide halls, an oval, two churches, and housing for approximately 1000 people. There were single men and families. It was a really big town.

Memorial Fountain in the town square - before

http://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/mary-kathleen

Memorial Fountain - today

Swimming pool and school building - before

http://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/mary-kathleen

Pop and I on the site of the pool and school today

Yesterday we rode up to the mine on a really rocky road and Pop and I nearly came off our scooter. Nan did come off but she is OK. The mine was huge and the water in the bottom of the open cut mine was a weird aqua blue colour. There was a warning sign to say not to drink or swim in the water as it is radioactive. It was fun calling out because I could hear my echo echo echo. It was awesome!