Mt Isa 28/10/07 -30 30/10/07

The Howes go underground. Mt Isa is one of the world’s largest mines. They mine Lead and Copper, but also Zinc Silver and Tin. These metals come from deep underground – the mine goes 2 kms underground and there are 1000 kms of tunnels. We went on an underground tour with miner called Bill, he had been mining for 35 years. Bill told us stories about the days when mining was done with hand-tools and explosives. Today, they mine with large drilling machines. Twice a day they set off the explosives in the mine at 8am and 8 pm. We heard the blast from above ground in Mt Isa.




Mitchel telling a minor where to go! Mitch is a better bird spotter than a miner

Riversleigh Fossil Centre

This centre holds great fossils of Mammals from 20 thousand to 30 million years ago. Mitch and Callum are holding the skull of a 7 metre salt water crocodile (which they westled with their bare hands!). Dr John Scanlon is a Palaeontologist who gave us an interesting talk about how fossils are taken from the rock and processed. Surprisingly, the rock is broken using explosives, and then placed in acid. Pretty tough fossils!


Northern Territory Border
"Finally we get to the NT,
Nothing, not even tree..
Didn’t look like this on TV..
Hot, flat as far as you can see..
We really miss our wii!"




Barkly Homestead 31/10/07
A homestead in the middle of the Barkly tableland, it is 200 kms from any town. We found huge Daddy Longlegs spiders in the toilets. A Swiss fellow asked Mitchel for directions to the camp kitchen. Mitch, having no idea where the kitchens were, then provided clear directions. The Swiss man reappeared 20 minutes later and asked for directions again – this time finding someone who knew the answer. The following morning, Kate burst in on the same Swiss man sitting on the toilet. See how the Howe’s do their part to help the local tourist industry!



Daly Waters Pub - 1/11/07
Callum enjoying a coldie!






Kate particularly liked this pub, because there is always a change of clothes close to hand. This pub has been here since before World War II and is filled with things people from all over the world have brought: Bras, t-shirts, money, passports, car number plates, guns, crocodile skin.

The boys just hanging at the bar....

The small town of Daly Waters is the home of the first international airstrip, which was used in the 1926 Air-race from London to Sydney. This Hanger was used in WWII. It was the site of a large airforce base during the war for bombers and fighters. There where a number of notable airplane crashed around this airstrip. One pilot celebrated his return to the airstrip by doing a victory roll over the hanger and crashed half way through the roll.
Kate, Mitch, and Callum think that JetStar should open up here….




Mataranka – Bitter Springs 2/11/07
Famous for the crystal clear springs. The water comes out of the ground from underground springs. We went snorkelling down this stream, and saw turtles, small fish, and a Mitchell’s Water Monitor. (This was called a Mitchell’s Water Monitor even before Mitchel spotted it beside the water).













Richard - Giant King of the Termites.. cruel but fair..











A shocking Road Train crash outside Mataranka – and sadly, the driver was killed in the accident.


The accident occurred at 3am this morning. We think that the driver fell asleep, and drove off the road. The Roadtrain (truck) is 53 metres longs (longer than Olympic swimming pool) has three trailers that was filled with mangos. It is a reminder of how dangerous the road can be. The speed limit in the Northern Territory is 130 Kms/h.



Banyan tree near Adelaide river – we have left the flat desert lands behind and have entered the tropics.