In 1981 Mungo National Park became a world heritage listed site along with Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef. This lesser known gem is 109km from Mildura and off the beaten track. It can be accessed by 2WD, however 2WD is not suitable when wet or after rain and you should always monitor roads as road conditions change quickly and often close. In summer, it can reach temperatures up to 53° and guides at the information centre recommend visiting April through end of October to get the most out of the park. If you come at other times make sure your prepared with plenty of drinking water, fuel and sun protection. The Lunettes will make you feel like you are on another planet. Breathtaking, especially at dusk.
If you choose to stay within the NP Start your day by exploring the tourist information centre itself. It’s often unmanned however, there is plenty to see and learn about Aboriginal cultural heritage with exhibits of significance including information about the Mungo Man and Mungo Lady. There are free showers at the tourist information centre for those staying within the park and toilets as well as barbecues for everybody to utilise. Make sure you pay your $8 NP fees per vehicle / per day here as well. If you didn’t know any better you might have thought you’re touring part of the moon. The landscapes at Mungo are truely magnificent. A short walk from the visitors information centre is the historic Mungo Woolshed, which is definitely worth a look around.
We would HIGHLY recommend the 2 1/2 hour tagalong tour booked through the National Park visitor Centre to access The Walls of China. The early tour starts at 9am which allows the small group you are in to be the only ones on the site at the time. It’s a very informative tour and the lunettes, crevices and rock formations make it feel like you’re walking on the moon. After soaking in all of the information from your tour guide and running down some sand dunes, remember to take nothing and leave only footprints. If you decide not to do the guided tour, there is a boardwalk accessible to everyone where you can see the lunettes at a distance. Only on a guided tour will you be able to walk amongst the Lunettes and sand dunes – well worth it! Once the tour is completed, you are now free to explore the rest of Mungo National Park on your own.
There is a self guided driving tour which does a loop around the National Park which takes approximately two hours depending on the number of stops that you make.
If you’re up for a walking Trail, Zanci pastoral loop is a 10km loop which takes off from the information centre. Be prepared with water, hat and sunscreen and monitor weather conditions.
A smaller 1.3 km loop walk starts from the main camp. The Grassland Nature Trail is an easy one for everyone to enjoy from the main camp. You can also walk to the Mungo Lookout which is about 1.2km trip. The alternative is that you can drive here.
The last thing on our must do list for Mungo National Park would be a visit to Red Top look out. We would highly recommend visiting the look out at sunset. On a day with no clouds the view is spectacular and you see the Walls of China in a different light – quite literally. Take a picnic or a glass of wine to really enjoy the view. Please be mindful that kangaroos and emus are plentiful within the park and to drive at dusk with caution.
Sun set at Red Top Lookout is a must – PJs are optional.
Thank you to the Barkandji/Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa people who allowed us such special moments on this land.