Cloncurry is an interesting outback town and definitely deserves extended time for exploration. Mining has played a key role in the development and growth of the town and a bloke called Ernest Henry is responsible for its very existence. In 1867 he discovered copper and even today copper mining remains a major player in the growth of Cloncurry. A visit to John Flynn Place Museum and Art Gallery will provide a history lesson or two. Commemorating Reverend John Flynn who developed the Royal Flying Doctor service as a ‘mantle of safety’ back in 1928. Covering isolated regions the service is still as integral to the outback's survival today as it ever was. While there a must-stop is Cloncurry Unearthed, Visitor Information Centre and Museum. See the water bottle of explorer Robert O’Hara Bourke or learn more about Mary Kathleen (a former Uranium mining town) or wander through the museums’ mineral and gem collection, which is ranked as one of the most comprehensive in Australia. Continuing on to Normanton, the vista changes and you'll see taller and taller termite mounds, which is a sure sign you've reached north-west Queensland.