We stopped at Pooncarie on the way which was little more than a few buildings on the main road to stock up on petrol and groceries before heading to Mungo. As we approached the park boundary a quick stop for firewood was needed so we could enjoy a fire in the evening.
The world heritage listed Mungo National Park is the home of Mungo Lady and Mungo Man, the words oldest human cremations discovered. At 42,000 years old, they put our brief lives into perspective. It is also the site of the Walls of China which we were keen to see.
After set up we all went for a walk along a 1km loop track to learn a bit more about the local flora and fauna in the area before enjoying dinner by the fire, which was a welcome relief from the cooler nights that were creeping in as we headed further south. After a round of marshmallows for the kids it was time for bed.
The next day we headed for a bike ride along the Zanci Pastoral Loop. The 10km ride took us through rolling hills with the steeper ones offering not only a challenge to get up, especially for the kids, but also spectacular views over Lake Mungo. We saw kangaroos and emus and explored the old Mungo wool shed and Zanci homestead ruins including a dugout, basically a small room underground, which offered surprising but very welcome relief from the heat. As the temperature rose and the the kids energy levels fell at a corresponding rate, we were all happy to see the car at the other end and the kids enjoyed a home made mango yoghurt ice cream in the shade before we headed back to camp.
The midday heat got the better of us but after a few hours of rest, the cooler afternoon temperature allowed us to have a game of cricket. At stumps we headed to the Walls of China, and after a classic outback sunset the night before, we were hoping for a repeat performance. The light at the first lookout did not disappoint, with red, yellow and pink pastels painting the view in front of us, adding to the lunar feel of the landscape. As we drove onto the Red Top lookout, the sun was banished by a thick wall of clouds. The rock formations as well as the view across the lake were still both amazing, but the sunset we were hoping for was not to be that night. We enjoyed a drink with some cheese and biscuits at the lookout and headed back to camp in the dark. We managed to dodge the local wildlife on the 15 minute drive back in spite of their best attempts to get hit.
We were almost at the end of our trip with the others, with the next stop of Wentworth and Mildura being the end of the Darling as well as the trip for the group.
Wide open spaces 