Lake Mungo National Park is home to the drained basin of a massive ancient lake with a ephemeral crescent-shaped dune. Visiting this site feels like stepping into another planet, strange and beautiful, which is rightly said on the Paakantki welcome sign “Paliira kiirinana Parimba” on the border of the park, which means “Our country is beautiful. Please come.”
Despite being one of Australia's most fascinating natural sites, Mungo is a hidden gem. This natural site is easily accessible from Mildura on the Victoria-NSW border. Here mud accretions tower like small canyons, while mobs of emus scatter across iron-rich dirt. After this dirt being washed away in heavy storms, Aboriginal moderns that is 50,000 years old is revealed under the surface.
It is precisely this wealth of indigenous history what makes this area so appealing, and it has been so ever since Dr Jim Bowler discovered the “Mungo Lady” back in 1969. This “Mungo Lady” is one of the world's oldest-known cremation burials. Soon after, a “Mungo Man” was unearthed.
The area is brimming with indigenous history. Further north in the Willandra Lakes region, you will find over 450 petrified footprints dating back to 20,000 years. Today, the national park is managed by an elders' council, the NSW Parks and Wildlife. If you head to the interpretative centre in the Mungo lake bed, the story and cultures of the area will come to life before your eyes.
To get there, you can fly from Melbourne to Mildura. Mungo National Park lies about 110 kilometres north-east across the border in NSW.
On the park boundary, there's a comfortable Lodge which will make your stay that much pleasant. On their website, they discuss the park. “For thousands of years, since Dreamtime, the Aboriginal people have walked these lands as their ancestors did. This world heritage site is of international significance as a place to share in the story of a journey through time - from the evolution of land and humans.”
It continues: “It is a place which will stimulate both the mind and the body.”
As your body and mind will be stimulated, you'll need a place to rest and unwind. “Mundo Lodge offers a place to rest your mind and body. Right on our doorstep you can explore Mungo National Park and the World Heritage Willandra Lakes Region,” the lodge owners claim on their website. “With a full range of Mungo accommodation options from very comfortable deluxe king and twin cabins to a self contained cabin. Also our budget Shearer's Quarters style accommodation and caravan and camping, you can enjoy all the options on offer.”
“We also have Café Mungo and full dining with our great hearty country meals along with bar facilities to ensure your experience on the edge of the Mungo National Park is both memorable, relaxing and enjoyable.”
Mungo Lodge offers cabins, shearer's quarters, and caravan and camping. There you'll find a large range of accommodation from very comfortable King Deluxe cabins and Self Contained Deluxe cabins to budget Shearer's Quarters accommodation and caravan and camping eight in the desert.