Mungo National Park is the traditional land of the Barkindji people and is an archaeological and geomorphological site of world importance. Lake Mungo is one of 17 dry lakes that constitute the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area, declared in 1981. On your visit to Lake Mungo you will experience the stark, silent, desolate and sometimes eerie landscape of sand, sparse but resurgent vegetation, and spiny, hard, pitted, crinkled and fluted dunes and ridges can look more like a moonscape. The lakes dried up about 14 000 years ago. They are, however, an extraordinarily rich source of fossils. The remains of extinct creatures - Tasmanian tigers, giant, short-faced kangaroos and a strange oxen-sized animal called a zygomaturus - have been found.

Carbon dating has indicated that Aboriginal people inhabited the area 40 000 years ago, making it the site of the oldest known human occupation in Australia. From the lake they gathered mussels, Murray cod and golden perch. They also hunted wallabies and rat kangaroos and collected emu eggs.

Day 1
Fly from Melbourne to Mildura in the afternoon. Transfer to accommodation.

Day 2
You will be picked up from your accommodation at 9.00am and taken to the Harry Nanya Arts and Craft shop where your tour will begin. After a short visit at the gallery you will begin your journey along the Pooncarie road towards Mungo National Park. Along the way your guide will explain the history of the area and point out significant aspects such as the trees that were used by the Aboriginal people for building canoes and nardoo bowls.

Once you reach the park you will stop at the visitor centre that has extensive displays of local Aboriginal culture and of the area's geomorphology and archaeology. Here you will hear about the ancient history of the area. After time at the visitor's centre you will tour the wool shed to hear the European history of the area. After lunch you will visit the 'Wall of China" which rises to 30 m above the plain and runs for some 30 km around the old lake's eastern shore. Your guide will show you things held sacred to the Aboriginal people and tell you stories of their past. Tonight your accommodation will be at Mungo Lodge and after dinner your Aboriginal guide will entertain you with stories and songs.
Today's itinerary includes lunch and dinner.

Day 3
After breakfast you will begin the return journey stopping along the way at different points of interest.
Today's itinerary includes breakfast and lunch.
Afternoon transfer to the airport and flight to Melbourne.

Departures: Year round on demand

Inclusions: Accommodation, guides and touring, national park entry fees, meals as stated in the itinerary.

Minimum: 2 Adults to operate this tour.

Price:

Excluding Flights to/from Mildura: Adult - A$410.00 per person. **Including Flights to/from Mildura: Adult- A$877.00 per person.

Price Includes GST and is valid to 31/3/2002