Middleton Pub.

One of Australia's most remote Pubs

This was originally a staging post for the Cobb & Co run between Winton to Boulia

Pretty sure it’s original.

Tonights camp on a dirt road heading north to some old mining camps south of Cloncurry.

Mt Elliot Mine and smelter was built in 1908 and the associated town of Selwyn.

1500 residents we here in 1918 and prospered as an affiliate of Mt Isa mines during WWII but eventually liquidated in 1953

It was a bit of a no-go zone as the current Mt Elliot zone is nearby and is one of Australia's richest Copper & Gold deposits

25 Kms north of Mt Elliot, Copper was discovered at Kuridala in 1884 with production in 1905-06.

During WWI copper was in demand and production was at a peak in 1911 to 1920.

The town was originally called Hampton, then Freizland, and finally Kuridala.

The Kunidala cemetery is one of the largest abandoned cemeteries with 360 ‘residents’

From Mine managers to Chinese immigrants here they all lie here equal.

The town itself boasted over 3,000 residents.

The main Gidson Street hosted 6 hotels, 5 stores, 4 Billiard halls, and 3 dance halls between 1910 and 1925

With copper prices crashing after WWI ,and by 1928 the place was deserted.

It is Heritage Listed so the old tobacco tin we found dated London 1835 stayed in place

All that remains of the Hampton reduction smelter.

Built in 1911 it operated till 1920 with 70,000 tons or ore being processed that year.

In 1928 the company was delisted.

We see a sign AMETHYSTS  and an arrow pointing up a rough track - that is all i need.

10Kms later and some 4x4‘ing we are camped on top of a hill with 360* views.

Around us are quartz outcrops and some diggings.

We spend a lazy day, and also take the Side-by-Side out for a recce of the area.

Lyn finds this little ‘Gem”

But I do not think we should give up our day job !!

We are south west of Cloncurry and another old mining area of Ballara, and the main Copper mine of Wee MacGregor.

We unloaded the Side- by-Side and went exploring.

Old shafts are everywhere

To shift the copper ore from mine site to the copper smelter at Hampton its a narrow gauge rail journey through the rugged Argylia Hills and in this case through solid rock.

In those days hard work was exactly that.

Fountain Springs supplied water to the local mining community.

Another more recent Ghost town of Mary Kathleen.

The old streets now a free caravan park, but a walk around the work faces of the old Uranium mine was interesting

1. - Just do not lick the rocks !
   

Mt Isa for a restock for the next 4-6 weeks

Lyn tried her hand at underground rock mining using a hammer drill to set explosives.

Today on to Camooweal and the Drovers Festival.