Lake Mungo 9 – 10 October 2009

Set off for Lake Mungo along 100km of dirt road. Arrived at Turlee Station rather shaken and stirred. Turlee is a sheep property near the National Park that is cleverly using its close proximity to Mungo for attracting campers. It is a bit rough, though hot water and toilets must be heaven for many. Nathan told us that a group of them are piping water over 100kms from the Murrumbidgee!
Next day we took the 4WD up another 30km of dirt road to the NP. Lake Mungo is an old fresh water lake that has extensive evidence of Aboriginal occupation stretching back 40,000 years. It is part of an old lake system formed about 150,000 years ago and finally dried up about 20,000 years ago. There is about a 70km track to drive around the park to see the different areas. When we arrived, there were dark clouds that looked like rain. Not knowing local conditions we asked the Aboriginal guide for his opinion - expecting him to look at the clouds. Instead he informed Peter that he would check the forecast on the net!
The highlight was The Walls of China. The huge sand dunes on the edge of the lake creates the feature that is so significant. On one side of the dune are pinnacles of compressed sand exposured like chimneys of sediment in different colours and revealing the history of aboriginal occupation. The long drive around the surrounding country meandered past farm relicts from 1800s onwards kept us absorbed until we saw the other side of the dunes. This side is very white sand and reminds you of dunes next to great oceans. Crossed the bottom of the lake and headed back to Turlee to enjoy a chat with the owners. They have two properties, owned by the father and son. Felt old as the son was 32! As well as the sheep they have just sown 4,500 acres of wheat and hoping for the rain to fall at the right time.