George Fisher

Sir George Read Fisher (1903 – 13 July 2007) was one of Australia's leading mining executives. In 2019, he was posthumously inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in recognition of his eminent business leadership, driving the long-term success of Mount Isa Mines and Mount Isa's growth and development as a city.

Early life Fisher was born in Gladstone, South Australia into a farming family. He attended Gladstone High School and then Prince Alfred College in Adelaide. In 1925, he graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Engineering (mining).

Mining career Fisher began his career in Broken Hill as an underground manager and later became the general manager at the Zinc Corporation. In these roles, he worked with the Barrier Industrial Council and the union leaders.

The Allied Works Council seconded him in World War II to create tunnels in the cliffs of Darwin Harbour to store fuel supplies so they would be safe during bombing raids by Japan.

With the impending retirement of Mount Isa Mines (MIM) chairman, Julius Kruttschnitt, Fisher joined MIM, then controlled by US company ASARCO, in 1952 as general manager, becoming chairman in 1953. Attracting him to Mount Isa was the prospect of freedom from overseas interference and autonomy to run the company as he saw fit. This was to be a major turning point for MIM and the town of Mount Isa which, in both cases, were to be transformed under his leadership. He was knighted on 10 June 1967. In 1974, he was also awarded an honorary fellowship of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (HonFAusIMM).

Legacy The George Fisher mine is named after him.

The suburb of Fisher in Mount Isa is named after him.