"They rank together in this city's development."

And with that opening statement, Sir James Foots, chairman of Mount Isa Mines Holding Limited, regaled the 300 guests of Frank Aston's dream.

A dream to excavate a museum in a hill that faced west towards Mount Isa Mine, as if to pay homage to the reason for Mount Isa's existence.

A venue to house, exhibit, and educate locals and visitors alike into the historical past, extant lifestyle of mining families, and an insight into the future of Mount Isa.

As the dreamer stood humbly to one side, the Mayor, Ald. Franz Born identified the vital link the dream would have on future generations.

"The museum is a credit to the tireless efforts of Rotarians and will become part of the city's heritage."

He continued, "However, we must acknowledge that we would not be standing here today if it were not for the Australian Labor Government's Regional Development Scheme grant of $100,00 which turned one man's dream into reality."

In his own address to attendees, Frank Aston, paid tribute to his fellow Rotarians and recognised his inspiration to see his dream a reality in a tribute to his father ... I only wish the old fellow could be here now to see it.

And on that note, on Saturday July 10, 1976, Sir James Foots officially opened the Frank Aston Underground Museum.

Situated on five acres around the water reservoir above Marian Street, the underground museum built on a spinifex covered shale hill became Mount Isa's first home to a wide collection of mining, grazing and pioneering familia memorabilia.

One of the first donations to the museum founder Frank Aston was a cowbell, but not just any cowbell rather it was one used to signal the starting and knock-off times for the Cloncurry News and Mount Isa Record newspapers printing room men.

Presented by the North West Star editor, Colin Campbell, on behalf of Carpentaria Newspapers Pty Ltd., the cowbell had fond memories for Joe Twible, a former Cloncurry News apprentice and Advocate linotype operator.

Another display at the museum was two cast iron pots donated by Brunette Downs.

Made in England, when the pots arrived at the station, it took two men just to lift one lid and several men to lift an empty pot.

The reason? the English manufacturers had mistaken the circumference measurements for that of the diameter of the pot.

One wonders what the English foundry workers would have thought of the oversized pots and how they would be used in the rugged outback region of the Antipodes, as they were the largest cast iron pots and lids made in the 200 years history of the foundry.

Answering a call for local cattle brands, Matt Macnamara of Hazelvale Station, was the first to donate the brand that he designed and registered in 1948 for his former property Mount Tracey Station.

With 130 metres of tunnelling, a 15-metre service rise climb and hundreds of relics from the early mining and grazing days, the museum was a major draw card for the tourist market, including royalty when they flew into Mount Isa.

In October 1977, Princess Sarvath, wife of Crown Prince Hassan, of Jordan, was accompanied by Princess Wijdan when they were given a personalised tour of the museum by Kel Fairbairn, a member of Mount Isa Rotary Club and manager of Carpentaria Newspapers.

The main feature was a diorama of the history of local mining which had been designed by Glen Graham, for Mount Isa Mines.

Featuring photographs and flowcharts from the beginning of mining operations in 1924, the exhibit featured across the spectrum of mining and tourist magazines for several decades.

"The timing of putting together the diorama came around the same time as the Mine's promotional van was being dismantled," he said.

The MIM mobile mining display van was an innovative concept of its time.

Whilst it had interactive mining displays and photographs it was also an invaluable promotion of the family lifestyle to be had for potential miners in Mount Isa.

In his speech at the opening of his dream, Frank Aston praised the work of voluntary miners who worked on weekends, his fellow Rotarians and the many businesses that donated in-kind machinery such as the grader donated by Thiess Bros.

"Twenty years ago, Sir George Fisher told me that the greatest thing to happen to Mount Isa was the formation of a service club," he said.

"To my mind the greatest thing that a service club has done in the city is the building of the Lions Youth Camp at Lake Moondarra ... this museum is the next greatest!"

The Frank Aston Underground Museum, locally referred to as simply the Underground Museum or Rotary museum any which way it was the first of three local museums to eventually showcase the rich mining heritage of the North West province.

It was followed by John Middlin Mining Display and Visitors Centre (Church Street) in the late 1980s and the spectacular showcase into the palaeontology wonderworld of Riversleigh, Earth Treasurers (behind the library) in the mid 1990s.

In reflection, Sir James Foot said that the museum was unique in that it holds an historical record of the past as well as being as example of the present and an insight into the future.

Researched and written by Kim-Maree Burton www.kimmareeburton.com

Photographs and information courtesy of Frank Aston's archives, Glen Graham and the North West

Star.