One of Australia’s Great Natural Wonders Is Hiding in Plain Sight
One of Australia’s most remarkable natural wonders remains little-known. It’s a cradle of humankind, boasts starkly beautiful scenery as well as emus, roos and birds of prey. So how has Mungo National Park stayed a secret? Well, it’s remote. Stranded between Adelaide and Sydney, it covers more than 111,000 hectares of far southwestern NSW. The nearest airport, in Mildura, Victoria, is about 120 kilometres away. But make the effort to come and you’ll reap the rewards.
What is this place?
Mungo is part of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area, a chain of ancient dried-up lakes that resembles a Star Wars set. Looming lunettes, or eroded dunes, only add to the other-worldly feel, the Gaudí-like pinnacles of sand and clay sculpted by wind and water over millennia.
In 1968 and again in 1974, human remains, known as Mungo Lady and Mungo Man respectively, dating to between 40,000 and 42,000 years old – the oldest found anywhere in Australia – were unearthed here. The area is a sacred site for the Ngyiampaa, Mutthi Mutthi and Southern Paakantyi Aboriginal peoples.
How to get there
From Sydney, the trip west to Mungo National Park takes more than 10 hours, so it’s worth breaking up your journey over a couple of days to make a road trip out of it. Head four hours southwest to Wagga Wagga and stay the night at The Houston, an 11 suite boutique hotel within the grand neo-gothic Belmore House. Next morning, enjoy breakfast then make for Wentworth, a pretty town where the Darling and Murray rivers meet, in six hours. From there it’s two hours of partially sealed road into the park, which means the roads can become undrivable after heavy rain. Be sure to check in with the park beforehand and plan your trip carefully as food, fuel and equipment are not available near the park. Familiarise yourself with the safety guidelines before you leave and download the park digital guidebook. If you’re travelling from Melbourne, it’s six and a half hours by car. But you can catch a flight straight from Melbourne’s airport to Mildura airport, then hire a car at the airport, from which it’s a 90-minute drive to Mungo Visitor Centre.
When to go
Like much of the outback, it’s not a place to visit in the height of summer; autumn and spring are ideal. Experts recommend taking along a good map and a satellite navigation device and using a four wheel drive to explore the park. Comfortable shoes and sunscreen and a hat are a must.
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Where to stay
You can either spend a night under the stars in the park at Main Camp (bookings required), just 2 kilometres away from the Visitor Centre, where you pay your fees ($8 per vehicle per day). Or try Belah Camp (bookings required), which is more secluded; no fires are allowed, so bring a gas cooker. If you prefer a comfy bed, book a room at Mungo Lodge right on the park’s edge. Spend the night in a king deluxe cabin, before waking for a continental breakfast at the onsite Mungo Bar and Bistro.
How to see the park
The best way to see the park is on an Aborginal Discovery Tour. Guided by rangers from the three tribal groups of the Willandra Lakes region – the Paakantji, Ngyiampaa and Mutthi Mutthi – these tours will provide meaningful context and history about the park and the people who have lived here for more than 40,000 years. (They’ll also ensure you don’t get lost). Or take a guided seven-hour sunset tour that surveys the geological marvel known as the Walls of China and follows part of the 70-kilometre loop track through mallee-covered country while offering stunning desert views.
For a truly otherworldly experience, try the Mungo Full Moon Tour, an eight-hour experience that picks you up from your accommodation at nearby Balranald to watch the moon float up over the clay-coloured mountains. Tours are conducted monthly in line with the date of the full moon. All meals and snacks are provided and the car leaves five hours before the moon rises. The tour includes a guided walk and ‘lunar’ picnic.
Tired of walking? The Park also offers scenic flights, allowing you the opportunity to view the majestic landscape from the air. The Flights depart from Mungo Lodge Airstrip and fly over Lake Mungo lunette, Vigar’s Well, Zanci Homestead, Mungo Woolshed, Footsteps and of course, the Walls of China. Not to be missed.
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