‘Splish, splash we’re makin’ a dash, ya comin?’
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Where’re we going you ask. To the dam!
‘Hav’ ya got your togs ‘n towel?’
Maybe not these exact words, but of a similar vein, were called out on weekends because it was ‘the dam’ that was the magnet for families, courting couples and hip teenagers; to swim, water ski, sail or just sunbake, relax and have a barbie.
But, you had to be early, if you wanted a spot under a palm or one of the mango trees, to spread your blanket and towels, so as not to get sunburnt.
Bondi Beach had nothing on our beach at Transport Bay, with daring bikini babes and hunky males wearing ‘Speedos’.
In those early days, when you tip toed over the sizzling hot sand down to the cool dam waters did you ever give thought to how the sand was spread around the Bay?
The ladies of the former Mount Isa Historical Group, Lois Wellington and Desley Commerford, laughed as they recalled their efforts to scatter the last shovels of sand just before the dam was opened to the public in 1958, only to see their efforts imprinted with hundreds of foot prints minutes later.
Everyone was eager to have a swim in the new dam.
And with such an expanse of water, the local lads were regularly showing off their water skiing skills to the thrill of the girls on the beach.
Even those who came a ‘cropper’ were admired for their pluck and courage in this new sport.
Les Mezzaros of Magnetic Motors and Western Garage, who owned one of the first speed boats on the dam, arranged with Mount Isa Mines to have pontoons made and moored around the lake for water skiing enthusiasts.
A couple of pontoons were moored within the swimming area of Transport Bay, and just like the palm and mango trees, it was first one on to get a sunbathing spot while other swimmers would tread water waiting their turn to sit on top.
And when it came time for a barbecue, a proper wood fired one, everyone stood up side of the smoke and flies.
Incongruous as it may seem today, fishing in the dam was prohibited for the first decade to allow the introduced fish to grow and breed.
However, as the temperature of the water changed it caused the death of large numbers of small fish, much to the consternation of Mount Isa Mines.
So they flew in Neil Hayson, an Assistant Biologist of the Department of Harbours and Marine, to inspect the dam and advise on the best types of fish to be introduced.
During his inspection, he said he was pleasantly surprised at the rapid growth of weed which was food enough for a large population of fish.
Some years later, the abundance of weeds were to cause the near drowning of Anthony (Tony) McGrady of BSD Barracks, who was dragged unconscious from the lake bottom, having become entangled in them as he was swimming out to one of the pontoons. Such memories of The (Leichhardt) Dam were quickly overtaken by the entertaining frivolity that became synonymous with the newly named Lake Moondarra.
The new name was chosen through a school children’s competition to name the dam, swimming area and the picnic area behind the dam wall.
Lake Moondarra, we were led to believe was an aboriginal word meaning, ‘plenty of water’, while Warrina (Park) meant ‘plenty of trees’ and Transport Bay was just that, an area of transportation for road vehicles and water craft.
Lake Moondarra as an entertainment destination grew in popularity along with the rock’n’roll era, the local live band scene and the growing numbers of teenagers buying their first cars.
With this combination, it was only natural that the Lake became a romantic interlude with the moon shimmering over the water and stars’ twinkling in the night sky; a sweethearts’ destination for a bit of neckin’ on the cars’ front bench seats.
And just as Lake Moondarra Road became the highway to happiness, it too often became the road to grief and despair numerous times when vehicle accidents occurred as a result of inexperienced driving skills which included speeding.
Every weekend you could see families gather around the three kiosks (one at Transport Bay, one below the dam wall and the third in Warrina Park) waiting to buy ice creams in cones. Your choice of flavour was vanilla, vanilla or vanilla.
It was some years before chocolate and strawberry flavoured ice cream went on sale in the kiosks.
In the meantime, you had to lick the ice cream quickly to avoid the sticky sweet cream dripping over hands and clothes before it would melt into a slushy liquid and thereby cause even more of a mess.
But not to worry, you could always wash your hands and face in the cool waters of the lake and the children’s splash pool in Warrina Park. For sixty years, Lake Moondarra has been the aquatic playground for families to swim and picnic and for water sport lovers.
The lake has allowed them to indulge in sailing, water-skiing, scuba diving, speed boat racing, fishing, water polo, rowing, triathlon and paragliding.
With water to sail on, to frolic, wade and swim in, to ski on, to drink; water to help gardens grow and trees to flourish, water to colour and flavour and capture in bottles with little bubbles.
Without water Mount Isa would no longer be called the ‘Oasis of the Outback’. Happy 60th Birthday to our Lake Moondarra.
Researched and written by Kim-Maree Burton. Photographs supplied by North Queensland History Collection. Information sourced from the archives of the Mount Isa Mail, Mount Isa Mines publications and the NWS.