Lake Moondarra

Lake Moondarra
Lake Moondarra
Location	19 km (12 mi) North East of Mount Isa, Queensland
Coordinates	20°34′57″S 139°34′12″E / 20.5826°S 139.570°E / -20.5826; 139.570
Type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Leichhardt River
Catchment area	1,140 km2 (440 sq mi)
Basin countries	Australia
Surface area	23.75 km2 (9.17 sq mi)
Max. depth	11 m (36 ft)
Water volume	107,000 ML (87,000 acre⋅ft)

Lake Moondarra is an artificial lake on the Leichhardt River in Queensland, Australia, 16 km downstream from the town of Mount Isa. It provides water to the city and the adjacent Mount Isa Mines (MIM) mining lease.

The dam was built for Mount Isa Mines and, at the time, was the largest water scheme in Australia financed by private enterprise.^[1] The original construction was started by the American Utah Construction Company, but Thiess Brothers completed the project.^[2]

The lake includes picnic areas, pontoons, a ski jump, and water sports facilities. The lake is popular with birdwatchers, sailors and angler. The Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic has been held there since 1999.

Transport Bay was so named because tonnes of sand was deposited on the banks of the lake by MIM trucks to create a beach.^{[citation needed]}