So decision is made - we are going to Mungo NP. ---- yippeeee!! I have always wanted to one day visit this park.
In Mungo scientists have discovered artefacts of ancient aboriginal people dating back over 50000 years - over 2000 generations of Aboriginal people have left behind traces of their lives here.
This makes Mungo one of the oldest places outside of Africa to have been occupied by modern humans since ancient times.
Mungo is also part of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area - a valuable area that provides a picture of the past changes in climate and environments - as well as fossil evidence
We are advised that the first 17km is sealed with the remaining unsealed road (93km) pretty good going at the moment. It is the last 25-30km that is still wet in parts but we expect it to be okay.
It is interesting how the landscape changes so quickly on this drive out to Mungo
And here is a quick look at some of the road conditions -- on out journey today
We have arrived at the entrance to Mungo NP!!!
The 'Main Campground' is just inside the entrance and we quickly select a good spot right at a picnic shelter - just as the other few campers in here at the moment have done.
Having this extra shelter can be useful in this unpredictable cold and rainy weather.
We set up camp and drive the 2 km to the Visitors Centre to pay our camping and park entry fees for a couple of nights.
Next job is gathering firewood - so we drive back just outside the park boundary and try our luck scavenging enough wood to build a decent fire to keep us warm as evening approaches.
We are like cry and not too much hand sawing is required to get us decent amount loaded onto the back of the ute and slowly drive back into the campsite.
Whilst driving slowly back we spot this gorgeous little red bird - we believe it is a Scarlet Chat - and he actually stays still long enough for me to snap a decent photo. He is a cutey!!
We get the fire set up back at camp and then set off for an afternoon stroll around the Interpretive Nature Walk that does a loop from the campground. A couple of kilometres later we are back and settling in to watch the many kangaroos and joeys that gather in this camping area.
It is lovely watching the really little joeys as they bound away from their mothers - then realise how far away from her they are - and come bounding back at speed. The two just keep doing it over and over again until they are worn out. All in a days learning I guess!!
We are also treated to quite a lot of birdlife here in our camp - and again I am lucky enough to get a shot of this lovely parrot feeding on the bushes quite near to us.
We spotted 5 Major Mitchell Cockatoos in a tree nearby - and when I wandered over with the binoculars to get a better look - one of them flew down quite near me. It was such a treat to see this beautiful bird with its orange/yellow striped comb in full display and with its wings outstretched fluttering to the ground displaying the gorgeous orange colouring underneath their wings.
Unfortunately - no photo - so I borrowed this one (from the Internet).
As evening approached the winds really picked up and we made the decision to pack away the awning as we were worried it my blow off.
This proved a good decision!!!!
Although the wind did drop for a while and we enjoyed dinner and a sit by the fire for a while before heading off to bed - it picked up with a vengeance and the wind gusts were very strong all night long.
We were pretty lucky that we had faced the front of the tvan into the oncoming westerly winds and although the night was a very noisy one with the strong winds - and did keep us awake a fair bit - we got through it okay.
Our neighbouring campers told us, next morning, that they were up during the night securing their awnings as they were awoken by the sound of the pegs being dragged out of the ground by the wind.
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