Barkly Highway State School is located in Mount Isa and was opened in 1959. The campus provides service in the Primary, Prep and Early Childhood Learning Centre (ECLC) - previously known as the Special Education Developmental Unit (SEDU). Mount Isa, being a mining town attracts many ‘short term’ residents and this creates a transient component within the school’s community.

The school is of a traditional highset design. Two of the three blocks have had the verandahs enclosed making classrooms larger to accommodate for new technologies to be incorporated in to the learning environment.

The Resource Centre / Library has refrigerative air-conditioning and has a nest of computers for student use. The remainder of the school, including a double Prep building and modern Early Childhood Learning Centre has evaporative air-conditioning.

The Barkly Highway State School grounds are well maintained through school and community support, so that the students have developing gardens, lawns, play ovals and shade tree areas complementing the learning environment.