Mount Isa Suburbs

Metropolitan Mount Isa has, from west to east, the mine leasehold, the railway line, four suburbs between the railway line and the Leichhardt River (both run north-south), the city centre on the east bank of the river and the majority of metropolitan suburbs spreading eastwards.

Mount Isa experienced very rapid growth between 1950 and 1970, from about 6000 to 25,000 people, and several eastern suburbs emerged during these years. Several older suburbs have fewer than 1000 people.

Happy Valley is an out-of-town suburb with pre-war shanty-town beginnings. It is between the railway line and the Leichhardt River and 2 km south of the city centre. The name was probably bestowed ironically during the Depression years. Its primary school opened in 1942.

Healy began as a planned suburb during the 1960s and 1970s with a housing estate jointly developed by Mount Isa mines and the Housing Commission. It was named after E.K. Healy, Under Secretary of the Department of Mines. Healy is on the east side of the river, 2 km south-east of the city centre. It has a state primary school (1972).

Menzies is immediately north of the city centre and has the racecourse, a Catholic high school (1985) and a shopping centre.

Miles End is between the railway line and the river, west of the city centre. It has the Royal Flying Doctor Base and a shopping centre on Barkly Highway.

Mornington is immediately south of the city centre, with the base hospital (1960) and a riverside park.

Parkside, east of the railway line and immediately south-west of the city centre, was the site of Mount Isa's first multi-storey residential project, Parkside flats (1969). Mount Isa State high school opened there in 1953, and a Catholic primary opened on its southern boundary in 1985. Parkside has several public reserves and two bowling clubs.

Pioneer is an outer-eastern suburb, two km from the city centre. The Queensland Housing Commission built a 350-house estate there in 1971-72. It has a drive-in shopping centre, a Catholic primary school (1985) and the Kalkadoon State High School (1977-2002) now the senior campus of Spinifex State College. The high school is grouped with the School of Distance Education and a TAFE.

Soldiers Hill is between the railway line and the river, 2 km north of the city centre. Its Barkly State primary school opened in 1952.

Sunset began with a planned housing estate in 1967, built jointly by Mount Isa Mines and the Housing Commission. An outer eastern suburb, 3 km north-east of the city centre, Sunset has a State primary school (1968) and a drive-in shopping centre.

The Gap, immediately east of the city centre has a large park with a lookout, and the tourist information centre and the Riversleigh Fossil Centre and Museum in Marian Street (Barkly Highway).

Townview (formerly Town View) is two km east of the city centre. It rises eastwards to an area with two reservoirs. Townview primary school opened in 1965.

Winston is on the east bank of the Leichhardt River, two km north of the city centre. It has riverside caravan parks.

Census populations have been: