Where're we going, you ask.

To the dam!

Hav ya got your togs n towel?

Maybe not these exact words, but words of a similar vein, were called out on weekends in Mount Isa.

That's because it was 'the dam' that was the magnet for families, courting couples and hip teenagers.

They all came there to swim, to water ski, to sail or just to sunbake, relax and have a barbecue.

But if you were going you had to be early.

That's because if you were late you would not geta spot under a palm or one of the mango trees, where you could 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 waters of the dam, 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 in 1958, only to see their efforts imprinted with hundreds of foot prints only minutes later.

Everyone was ready and 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.

And even those who came a 'cropper' and fell into the water 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 moored around the lake for water skiing.

A couple of pontoons were moored within the swimming area of Transport Bay, and just like the palm and mango trees, it was first come come first served to get a sunbathing spot while other swimmers would tread water waiting their turn to sit on top.

Incongruous as it may seem today, fishing in the dam was prohibited for the first decade.

There was good reason for that as it allowed 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 the Mines decided to fly in an Assistant Biologist of the Department of Harbours and Marine, to inspect the dam and advise them 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 would one day become Mount Isa Mayor).

Mr McGrady was out swimming when had to be dragged unconscious from the lake, having become entangled in them as he was making his way out to a pontoon.

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 Mount Isa school children's competition to name the dam, swimming area and the picnic area.

The name was selected from 471 entries submitted and nine-year-old Danny Driscoll won the £10 prize on offer.

Moondarra, we were led to believe was an aboriginal word meaning, 'plenty of water', while nearby 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.

With this combination, it was only natural that The Lake became a romantic interlude with the moon shimmering over the water and stars' twinkling.

Every weekend you could see families gather around the three kiosks waiting to buy ice creams in cones.

Your choice of flavour was vanilla, vanilla or vanilla.

It was some years before chocolate and strawberry ice cream went on sale.

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 mess.

But then you could always wash your hands and face in the cool waters of Lake Moondarra.

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

Photographs supplied by MIMAG, NQHC and the North West Star

Information sourced from the archives of the Mount Isa Mail, Mount Isa Mines publications and the North West Star.