Rest day at Mount Morgan day 1

Day 1 of our little vacation within our vacation!  Just took it easy today and stocked up on a few supplies at a somewhat depleted stocked IGA store - they must be waiting for the truck from Rockhampton!

I think I mentioned this yesterday but there isn't a flat piece of land here in Mount Morgan.  The town center is about 2km from this caravan park and as you come over the last crest into town you can see the famous mine ...

 and its' chimney stack ...

 the mine is not open now but still has all its' old corrugated buildings around the chimney stack which is 69m tall at the moment ... they removed an ornate top part which made it 75m tall.

 it is hard to see the open cut mine with its massive body of highly polluted water which apparently overflowed when Rockhampton had their rain early last year.  (It overflowed into the Dee river hence the signs not to drink, swim or fish in the river.)
In and around town it is hilly as well and we passed a few old buildings ... the arts building ...

 the former Queensland National Hotel which is now a private residence ...

 At Dee river bridge you turn left and you follow the creek road to the No.7 dam (one of many dams created for the mine and the only one that is not polluted!).  You can swim here as it is the towns main water source.  If you go back and look at the first photo to the left of the photo are 2 white patches that looks like a steam geyser ... they big sprinklers to spray the water out from the mine lowering the level by 15mm a day ... I wonder if that is the contaminated water that is being blown out?
So the safe No.7 dam is lovely and we will go back tomorrow for a swim and picnic.

 I don't think there is much overflow lately as the river is dry and there doesn't look like recent evidence of flooding on the road up to here ...

 On our way back we went to the information center that is also the Historic Railway Station ...

the guy in the information center just wouldn't stop chatting and poor Neil got stuck with him ... I went out to keep Kouta company!  He was full of romantic facts and figures about the mine ... he ignored the hardship and dangerous conditions the mine had for its employees ... there is nothing romantic about a mine dam with polluted dangerous water.

On our way home we picked up supplies at the IGA and opposite it is the high school ... how great would it be to go to high school in this old building?

I am seriously thinking about going on the mine tour and will try and book it tomorrow ... that way I get to go into the gates to see the massive open cut mine.