The best things to do in Mount Isa, the oasis of the outback

Drop a pin on Mount Isa and you’ll land in the north-west heart of Outback Queensland. Welcome to Gulf Country.

Surrounded by arid desert, Mount Isa has been nicknamed the Oasis of the Outback. But you won’t find any palm trees; instead the deep red Selwyn Ranges and the cool respite of Leichhardt River which flows through town.

There’s certainly more than meets the eye out here. And to get to know this character-filled town you need to go underground, hit the road, and bring your sense of adventure.

Whether you’re in town for a few days or stopping in on a road trip along Overlander’s Way, here’s the best things to do in Mount Isa. It’s a city that will surprise you.

Experience Outback at Isa

Many of the best things to do in Mount Isa can be found in one place: Outback at Isa. The city's major tourism destination, this hub hosts the Visitor Information Centre along with a number of experiences you might not expect from an outback town. It's certainly the place to get your bearings, then get exploring. 

The most popular attraction is the unique Hard Times Mine Underground Tour (more on that later), but it's well worth dedicating a day here to get the full experience. Be inspired by Mount Isa's creative streak at the Regional Art Gallery. Discover how some of the world's oldest fossils are extracted, cleaned and studied at Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre - laboratory tours are held at 10am and 2pm most days of the week. Learn all about the region's fascinating history at the interactive Isa Experience Heritage Display. Wander the Outback Park - a landscaped garden filled with plants endemic to the region. 

From February 2023, visitors can also take part in a Bush Tucker experience, exploring the centre's native botanical garden with an Indigenous guide to learn traditional bush methods for foraging for food, and making medicine and tools from outback flora - methods that have been passed down between generations for over 65,000 years. 

Visit an underground hospital

A trip to the hospital isn’t usually on your holiday to-do list, but make an exception in Mount Isa and visit the restored Underground Hospital. Built in 1942 by off-duty miners as a wartime civilian hospital, it was constructed underground due to the looming threat of aerial bombing during the war. Nowadays, you can take a guided tour and take a step back in time as you wind through its tunnels and view memorabilia.

Go beneath the surface 

This outback city was built on its rich mineral deposits, which has made Mount Isa Mines one of the most productive single mines in the world. So it seems only logical that one of the best things to do in Mount Isa is to throw on a pair of bright orange overalls, gumboots, and a hard hat to join the Hard Times Mine Underground Tour. Squeeze yourself into an Alimak Cage and descend to the depths of a replica mine to hear first-hand stories by an ex-Isa miner who'll be your tour guide.

Want to see another interesting mine site? Head out of town to the Old Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine. Originally discovered in 1954 and exhausted by 1981, it’s an impressive and eerie sight to view the remnants of the town and mine. If you want a local to share insights along the way, North West Tours can take you here.

Get a student's perspective at School of the Air

Mount Isa School of the Air educates around 200 students from prep to year 10 who live in remote North West Queensland communities without access to a local school. Join a tour to get a taste of what class is like for these kids - and how the teachers inspire the next generation from afar. 

Throw a line in

17 kilometres north of the city centre, Lake Moondarra is a freshwater fisher’s dream – and one of the best spots to cast a line in Outback Queensland (a good reason it hosts the Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic each October).

If fishing isn’t your thing, it’s still worth a visit to soak up the scenery, swim, sail, canoe or head out on a boat. You won’t be disappointed by sunsets out here, so settle in for an afternoon picnic or bring dinner to cook on the free-use barbeques. You can even take a sunset tour here with North West Tours.

Discover history and heritage with the locals

Combine all of Mount Isa's major sights - and some you’d never know were here - with North West Tours. In addition to the aforementioned tours to Lake Moondarra and the Old Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine, North West Tours offers visitors the choice of a speedy 2-hour trip or full day tour of Mount Isa's best sights and landmarks. 

From the cemetary and Soldiers Hill to heritage-listed hotels visited by royalty, you’ll certainly learn a few fun facts about the region and the colourful characters of its past.

Explore a real oasis and World Heritage fossil fields at Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park (currently closed)

Got a 4WD? Get yourself 400km north-west to one of Queensland’s most remote and rugged national parks: Boodjamulla. There’s so much history here you’ll feel like you’re stepping into an outdoor museum. It’s simply one of the best things you can do in Outback Queensland.

Witness the red sandstone walls drop dramatically into a windy emerald green watercourse at Lawn Hill Gorge and you’ll understand why Boodjamulla means 'Rainbow Serpent Country' in the local indigenous language. Explore the walking trails, bird watch, canoe your way through the gorge or take a dip in its freshwater swimming holes. It’s certainly worth spending a few days here to explore everything there is to do.

The national park is also home to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Riversleigh Fossil Fields. Recognised as one of the most important fossil deposits on earth, you’ll find fossils dating back 15-25 million years, representing the evolution of Australian mammals with evidence of feather-tailed possums, sharp-toothed kangaroos, and marsupial lions.

Stargaze

The City Lookout on Hilary Street is another great spot to watch sunset, or watch the stars come out against the backdrop of the city. The stars do shine brighter in the outback, after all.

Perfect your swing 

Golfers, get ready. The only 'greens' within a 770km radius, Mount Isa Golf Club offers a 18-hole par 71 course that stretches nearly 6km through the rugged red landscape.

If you're heading this way in July, why not be part of the Outback Queensland Masters - Australia’s most remote and richest amateur golf series. 

Dine on the outback’s finest

Mount Isa isn’t short on a country pub to pull up a seat in.

Rodeo Bar and Grill at Isa Hotel does dinner with an outback difference. Stepping into this family-friendly rodeo-themed bar is like stepping into an old western – and it’s the place to come for a steak. Overlander Hotel is another great local favourite, but check out this local’s guide to Mount Isa for more.

Join Mount Isa's biggest party

If you’re after a big party in the outback, time your trip for when Mount Isa hosts the southern hemisphere’s largest annual rodeo? Put on your akubra, get in the rodeo spirit and enjoy the range of activities from street parades and market stalls to open-air concerts and all the action in the arena.