Mount Isa Salvos
The Salvation Army began in Mount Isa in 1936 with the first officers appointed Captains Thelma Leech and Olive Devlin (pictured). They, and those who came after them, worked without a meeting place for the first 10 years, until, after the second world war a removed military hut was erected and acted as the officers’ living quarters and meeting place.
Second-Lieutenant Norman Morris described the building in an Officers Review as deteriorating quickly after being attacked some years ago by white ants. He also described the difficulties the early Salvationists faced due to the town being scattered in six different directions along the valleys, making the assembling of adults and children difficult. There is no local transport on Sunday, and it is not easy to walk miles in a temperature often over 100 degrees.
Nevertheless, despite the tough beginnings, The Salvation Army in Mount Isa grew. Today, The Salvation Army offers the community a range of services, including Sunday services, weekly meetings and activities, a Recovery Services Centre, Serenity House accommodation for homeless women and children and an Outback Flying Service to minister to remote properties and communities.
