The Mount Isa railway turned 90 years old this month, appropriate as it reopens after flooding closed the line for 12 weeks.
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A look back at the launch of that first service in April 1929 shows someone with an uncanny ability to predict the future, at a time when Mount Isa was just six years old and consisted of barely more than a few humpies.
Nonetheless Queensland Attorney-General John Mullan could see great things ahead for the newly opened mine and the railway that served it.
According to the Brisbane Telegraph of Monday 8 April 1929, Mr Mullan attended the opening of the Duchess - Mount Isa railway and gave a "prophecy of a geat future".
"It did not require much imagination to visualise Mount Isa in the not far distant future as one of the largest inland towns in Australia," Mr Mullan said.
The Telegraph said Mr Mullan, conveyed to the residents the congratulations of the Minister for Railways (James Larcombe) upon the event and the wonderful future upon which the district was entering and paid tribute to tho work of the Resident Engineer (Mr Jackson), his staff, and the construction workers.
Mr Mullan said the line cost over half a million pounds to build.
"This illustrates the policy of the government in providing every facility for the development of Queensland's vast mineral wealth, and their belief In the future of the field," he said.
"The expenditure of Mt. Isa Mines. Ltd., on mine development, diamond drilling, plant, buildings, and experimental work to date is approximately 443,400 pound and before the mine can be ready for production on a commercial scale a further sum of 1,000,000 will be expended."
He quoted government geologist J. II. Reld who said a 100 year life for the mine was a possibility
"It must rank as one of tho largest Individual silver lead lodes In the world and the estimated production of wealth by Mount Isa will eclipse that of Broken Hill," he said.
The predictions of Mr Mullan and his geologist Mr Reid have come to pass with Mount Isa with the smelter in place until 2023 and a possibility of it extending further.
Mr Mullan's uncanny accuracy in his predictions spread beyond just mining.
"Another aspect which must not be lost sight of is the value of the new line to the great pastoral industry in the north-west of Queensland and adjacent holdings In the Northern Territory," he said.
"Those interested In this Industry readily will understand the tremendous advantages to be derived from having trucking facilities made available at Mount Isa."
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