A local's guide to Mount Isa

Located 1,830km north-west of Brisbane and 900km west of Townsville, Mount Isa is just about as close to the Northern Territory state border as you can get.

Known to the locals as ‘the Isa’, this remote outback town is no retiring violet; a prosperous mining town and rodeo capital of Australia, Mount Isa is a historical oasis in the red dirt—and serves up country charm in spades. Miles from anywhere else but accessible from many major cities with its own airport, Mount Isa is a distinctly different slice of Outback Queensland.

Whether you’re passing through on the ultimate Queensland Outback road trip or hitting up town for the Southern hemisphere’s largest rodeo, this Mount Isa local's guide will show you a good time.

Where to eat and drink in Mount Isa

There are dozens of quaint coffee houses and cafes dotted around Mount Isa city, but Bambino Espresso is one of the best. An eco-conscious café serving Brisbane-roasted Veneziano Specialty Coffee, Bambino has a loyal local following thanks to great coffee, a delicious breakfast and lunch menu, and an unwavering ethos to lessen its footprint.

The Xtra Mile Café is another great breakfast option, where you should tuck into house made acai bowls, rosti stacks and avo toast for morning meals done right.

There’s nothing more quintessentially Queensland than tucking into a steak dinner at the local pub—and The Isa Hotel’s Rodeo Bar & Grill is famous for its flame-grilled steaks. Award-winning, in fact. There are plenty of other options if you’re not a meat lover, including their signature wood-fired pizzas, and options for the little ones.

During rodeo week, the atmosphere at The Isa is electric, with hundreds of locals and visitors dropping in for a drink and to catch Fred Brophy’s Outback Boxing Troupe boxing tent behind the hotel.

Next door, the Redearth Hotel's cocktail lounge gets a crowd of locals and travellers alike at knock-off, serving up tipples on Friday and Saturday evenings. Around town you'll also find solid dining at Bengali Kitchen, Isa Thai and ICHIBAN Japanese.

Where to stay in Mount Isa

Book a room at the Redearth Boutique Hotel for all the creature comforts. This intimate Mount Isa establishment is in the heart of town, and a popular choice for visitors during rodeo week. Ibis Styles Verona is another popular choice, with plenty of accommodation options, breakfast offerings and pool facilities.

For great motel accommodation, try the Burke and Wills Mount Isa. It’s located close to the centre of town and is equipped with a pool—handy for those blistering summer days. Every night around 8pm you will hear a distant ‘boom’ and feel the ground shake a little. It’s not an earthquake, just the explosives setting off at Mount Isa Mines and all part of the charm.

Discovery Parks is the go-to for local caravan parks. But one of the best things to do in Mount Isa is to camp under the stars at Swag City. Open every year during the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo at Buchanan Park, swap your suite for swags and camp like a local. It caters for caravanners and campers with powered and unpowered sites, and provides basic amenities including coffee, water and gas, plus you're just a short stroll to the rodeo action.

For more peaceful camping options, try heading out of town where the outback is, quite literally, your backyard. About an hour outside of Mount Isa, Clem Walton Park in Cloncurry is a beautiful spot to relax, with unparalleled spots right alongside Corella River. BYO canoe for a breathtaking morning paddle. Moondarra Caravan Park is out further still, but is a stone’s throw from the region’s famous Lake Moondarra.

Tip: If you’re coming for rodeo week, book early as accommodation fills up well in advance. Check out this guide to the Mount Isa Mines Rotary Rodeo to kick-start your itinerary planning.

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Soak up local history

Get your bearings (and some of the best views in town) from Mount Isa’s City Lookout. Easily the best place to catch the sun set over the town’s iconic mine smelter stacks, take your photo next to the famous city signs then wait until dark for the town to light up against a sky of stars.

One of the best things to do in Mount Isa is to visit Outback at Isa—home to The Hard Times mining tour and information centre. As well as being a wealth of information for things to do in Mount Isa, the tour is the ultimate hands-on underground mining experience. Descend in the mine’s Alimak Cage and learn about Mount Isa’s incredible mining history, then have a go drilling with authentic mining machinery. Don’t forget a photo of yourself in your hard hat and high-vis.

Dating back to WWII, Mount Isa’s Underground Hospital and Museum is like stepping back in time. Australia’s only known underground hospital, walk the narrow wards carved out of the ground by local miners in 1942, which are left almost completely intact since the late 1960s when it eventually closed. Also on site is the Beth Anderson Museum and Tent House, where time has stood still for over half a century. Showcasing a huge display of medical and wartime artefacts, this historical gem is a must-see when looking for fun things to do in Mount Isa.

Go walkabout

A trip to Mount Isa is the gateway to the magnificent Boodjamulla National Park (currently closed)—regarded as one of Queensland’s most exceptional parks of natural beauty. Boasting an abundance of blue sky, burnt orange gorges and green-hued rivers in the heart of the desert, visit highlights like Lawn Hill Gorge and the Riversleigh Fossil Fields for something truly magical. A rugged 4WD journey from Mount Isa, here is everything you need to know before you go. This trip requires some preparing but is well worth the effort.

For the ultimate outback road trip, explore this rugged region by road and take the Ancient Outback Mount Isa Loop. Hit up iconic country towns including Julia Creek, Cloncurry, Richmond, Hughenden and Winton, boasting ancient dinosaur fossils, the birthplace Waltzing Matilda, Queensland’s longest river, and all the beautiful outback scenery you can handle.

Sit back and take it all in

Just 17km north from Mount Isa town centre is beautiful Lake Moondarra. It’s a fantastic place for a BBQ, boating, water skiing, swimming, water sports, fishing, kayaking and picnicking, and is also home to many of the region’s pelicans. Drop a picnic rug and settle in to watch overhead as these graceful giants land on the lake and fish for food.

If sunset, epic scenery and a picnic spread is your ultimate combination, add this local secret to your radar: around 15 minutes' drive from Mount Isa is magical spot known as Granite Mine. The abandoned mine just so happens to have sweeping views of the outback landscape - bring some bubbly and enjoy. 

Something that's not in the travel guides

Head to the outskirts of town for a curious sight: a paddock of camels. Beloved pets of Mount Isa local Paul Keegan, this crew have become somewhat of an icon as tourists and locals come to take photos and feed carrots to the camels. It's well worth a stop to check it out - but ensure you get Paul's permission before you offer them a tasty treat.  

Planning your trip to Mount Isa? Use this family guide or this advice of the very best things to do while you're in town. When you're ready to leave, choose your route from these epic outback road trips.