Mount Isa was abuzz with sporting and cultural activity over Easter weekend in 1986.
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So were we proud North Queenslanders – yes we were.
But we were even prouder Mount Isans, proving that with our western ingenuity we - ‘Can Do’!
Lenore Sutton and Judy Hobded were the only women who entered the Arm Wrestling, with Lenore taking home the gold and Judy the silver, proving that women could compete in just about every sport on the agenda. But not Rock Drilling; this was still the domain of the men and one sport unique to mining communities.
Secretary of the Mount Isa Rock Drill Club, Mr Paul Atherlye said “It’s just disappointing that many of the country’s top drillers chose to take part in demonstrating the sport at the Sydney Royal Easter Show this weekend.”
Mount Isa people and Games organisers diligently sought out every service and attraction to make the weekend memorable. And had she been in Mount Isa, Julie Andrews would have sung to her hearts content on Easter Saturday morning, when the streets came alive with the sound of music as twenty pipe bands and the Band of the 1RAR played and marched through the shopping centre precinct.
West and Marian Streets again held centre stage on Sunday night for the Combined Service Clubs Street Party and yet another musical extravaganza, with local folk group Rafferty and the Mount Isa Concert Band, on the Civic Centre lawns. And who could forget the eruptions of ‘I Hear the Music’, ‘We Built this City on Rock n Roll’ or ‘Eye of the Tiger’ as local bands entertained the revellers. With the sound decibels going higher than the lead stack, ‘Gonna Fly Now’ (the theme song from the Rocky films) introduced the finals of Kick Boxing which were held in the middle of West Street. For many it was an initiation to the sport as spectators; people lined the roofs of the adjacent Playtime building to get an excellent bird’s eye view of the main bout between Mount Isa’s champion Dick Conlon and Townsville’s Glen Lunny.
Only minutes before entering the Kick Boxing ring, Conlon punched his way to gold in the Marquis of Queensbury Boxing competition at Skateland. However, right from the opening bell and with spectator’s craning their necks for a better view, he had the edge over his taller opponent. Two gold medals within the hour – Dick Conlon reigned supreme in Boxing and Kick Boxing circles – and became a North Queensland sporting hero.
Back on the daily flats it was dust, dust and more dust, with the occasional ale to clear the throat which was the order of the day, as players from throughout the North descended on Donovan’s Farm for Polocrosse. Often known as the poor man’s polo, Polocrosse attracted eleven teams from Winton, Cairns, Tangorin, Cloncurry, Giru, Davenport and Neila, only for the Underwood Brothers from Tangorin to take home the gold. One of the youngest competitors in the Suncorp North Queensland Games was Ten-Pin bowler Kris Hampson, 4, of Mount Isa. Kris began bowling socially at the age of three and earned his place in the Mount Isa team with a healthy average score of fifty.
But the weekend was not all about sport as local community arts, crafts and commercial groups ensured that there were attractions and souvenirs for everyone. A commercial winner was Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce when its President, Michael Beard, had an innovative idea to have commemorative coins struck in copper, silver and 18ct gold.
The coins proved popular souvenirs with copper coins on sale for $5, the silver for $35 while at least one 18ct gold coin sold for $2,000. Even philatelists were catered for when Australia Post issued 7,000 commemorative stamped envelopes for sale at the mobile post offices located at various games venues.
“We believe it’s the first time Australia Post in Queensland has gone to venues to sell such souvenir items”, said post office staff member, Toulia Nicolas. Visitors may have gone home with the gold in Eight-Ball however local man Doug Stone secured silver and later he and his doubles partner Jim Humphries won the bronze medal in the pairs division.
Adding to the excitement of the weekend for punters, the Mount Isa Race Club conducted not one but two meetings (Saturday and Monday). Place winning jockeys and trainers took home NQ Games medals with their prize money while NQG Certificates were presented to connections of winning horses.
Even, Mr Bill Price, State MP for Mount Isa, had a win when the Justice Minister, Neville Harper, approved hotels and clubs opening over the Easter weekend to provide meals for visitors. He jokingly remarked, “It was on humanitarian grounds that I put my weight behind the presentations to the Minister.”
And contrary to the Reserve Bank’s exorbitant increases in interest rates at the time (up to 21 percentage), the financial support from every quarter was excellent. Although without doubt, the games would not have been the success they were without the financial support, in-kind work and man hours that were contributed by the then Mount Isa Mines Limited.
And as the Games flag was lowered by members of the 35 Field Squadron, Mount Isa realised that one of the most successful events in its history had closed with dignity and ceremony. 1986 was the year that cemented Mount Isa in sportsmanship and comradeship, so typical of the Australia psyche.
The year in which community pride in staging the second bi-annual North Queensland Games to great acclaim was only exceeded when it was announced that the Games had returned bold black financial dollars. And as for Isa Liza, she was last seen driving herself east along the Flinders Highway to further sporting adventures.
Researched and written by Kim-Maree Burton. Information and photographs sought from North Queensland Games Foundation archives, Townsville Bulletin, and the North West Star