Deep within Mungo National Park, an ancient dry lake bed is more than just a strikingly beautiful and otherworldly view – Lake Mungo is a link to the distant past.
One afternoon in 1974, Australian geologist Jim Bowler was riding his motorbike around the lake while conducting studies, when he noticed the gleam of a white object protruding from the soil. It turned out to be a human cranium, belonging to who we now know as Mungo Man.
Mungo Man had been laid to rest on his back, hands folded in his lap and sprinkled with red ochre powder – a clear indication of ceremonial burial. Remarkably, the ochre was not local; the closest source lay hundreds of kilometres away, suggesting considerable effort went into obtaining and transporting it for the burial.
While evidence of Mungo Man’s gender remains inconclusive, extensive study has led to general acceptance that the remains belonged to a lightly built man, about 50 years old and 170 centimetres tall.
The site is extraordinary because it revealed one of the earliest known ritual burials in the world, providing vital evidence of the long-standing presence and sophisticated cultural practices of our First Nations people.
Earlier, in 1969, the cremated remains of Mungo Lady were uncovered – a deposit of burnt, carbonate-encrusted bones taken to Canberra for further study. Paleoanthropologist Alan Thorne determined that the remains belonged to a young adult woman of small, gracile build. The careful funerary process suggested spiritual meaning and abstract thought.
In 1992, Mungo Lady was repatriated to the traditional owners of the land – her deep connection to her descendants acknowledged and honoured.
The remains of Mungo Man, along with those of other ancient Willandra Lakes people, were returned by the ANU to the traditional custodians in 2015. At the time, Mutthi Mutthi elder Mary Pappin said: “We are so grateful he is going to be coming home. He’s done his job. It is time for him to go home and rest now.”
The remains were housed at the National Museum of Australia until 2017, when they were laid to rest in secret, unmarked graves near Lake Mungo. So while visitors don’t actually see Mungo Man or Mungo Lady, you can stand in the place where he and Mungo Lady lived more than 42,000 years ago.
Dig into the history of Lake Mungo
If you journeyed back 40,000 years, you’d find that Lake Mungo wasn’t dry. Back then it was a thriving freshwater oasis that was home to freshwater fish, mussels, birds and mammals. First Nations communities were dotted along its shore, the people using the many resources the lake provided.
The water disappeared with the end of the ice age, and the lake has now been dry for over 10,000 years.
It’s hard to imagine the lake filled with life in its current state. The eerie stillness of the dry lake floor, the shifting sands, and the vastness of the outback sky makes it feel like you’re on another planet. There is often intense heat this deep in the country, and when the sun beams down on the lunette formations, they shimmer.
Activities around Mungo National Park
There’s plenty to do around Mungo National Park, and tour can be booked at the Mungo National Park Visitor Centre. Join a guided tour of lunettes (eroded dunes often in a crescent shape) with a local Indigenous guide, and learn about the immense significance this land has to the three First Nations tribes – Barkandji/Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi, and Ngiyampaa people – that are the traditional owners of the land.
The tours run twice a day at different times depending on the season, so make sure to plan ahead. For a more relaxed and slow-paced exploration, walking tracks such as the Zanci Pastoral Loop or the Grasslands nature trail are perfect for seeing the natural beauty of the park.
The visitor centre has exhibits related to the history of the area, including ancient tools found, casts of megafauna, and 3D reconstructions of Mungo Man and Mungo Lady.
The Mungo self-guided drive tour is a great introduction to the outback landscape of Mungo National Park. You begin by crossing the lake bed towards the Walls of China, which is a stunning formation of sand and clay sculpted by wind and rain. The formations were created over tens of thousands of years through wind erosion, water, and layers of sediment slowly being compressed.
The Walls of China received their name due to the Chinese workers who helped build the nearby shearing shed in the 1860s, thinking that the structures resembled the Great Wall of China, and the name stuck.
Stop for lunch at Rosewood picnic area before taking a short walk on the Mallee Stop walking track. The Round Tank and Vigars Well picnic area are the last stops on the Loop Track.
Vigars Well was used as a rest point for earlier settlers’ horse-drawn wagons and is still active as a natural soak today. From this point, there’s access to the sand dunes with a panoramic view of the magnificent dry lakes. Kangaroos and are often seen running amok through the bush, and a variety of birds of prey are native to the area. Whistling kite, wedge-tailed eagle and brown goshawk have all been spotted in the area.
Preparing for the journey, where to stay
For a true outback experience, stay at the Belah campgrounds, which offers visitors a beautiful and secluded stay with just 12 campsites.
Or for a unique stay, book the historic Mungo Shearers’ Quarters, which includes a full kitchen, hot water and proximity to park hotspots such as the Visitors’ Centre, and the start of the Mungo self-guided drive tour.
Visiting Lake Mungo is a profound experience, but its remoteness makes preparations essential. Water shapes everything here, including travel plans, and weather conditions can change quickly. After even a little rain, roads can become extremely slippery and impassable, forcing park and road closures.
Check local alerts, travel with a full tank of petrol, and have a working spare tyre. Mobile reception is patchy at best, so always inform family or loved ones about your plans and expected return before leaving.
Lake Mungo gives a rare glimpse into Australia’s distant past, and walking amongst the sand dunes and endless horizon deeply imprints that timeless feeling, creating an experience unlike any other. Whether visiting Lake Mungo for the history or the scenery, the park offers a chance to feel the deep connection between land and people.
If you enjoyed this story, check out our story on the equally wonderful Bungle Bungles in Western Australia.
Rex flies to Mildura, which is a 1.5-hour drive from Mungo National Park. Head to the Rex website to book your flight, or check out the route map below for more details.
