Lake Mungo
Lake Mungo is a dry lake located in New South Wales, Australia. It is about 760 km due west of Sydney and 90 km north-east of Mildura. The lake is the central feature of Mungo National Park, and is one of seventeen lakes in the World Heritage listed Willandra Lakes Region. Many important a…
Why is Lake Mungo important to Australia?
Lake Mungo is one of Australia’s most important archaeological sites and it establishes that Aboriginal peoples occupied the continent from 50,000 years BP. Why is Mungo National Park important? Mungo National Park provides a unique insight into the ancient landscape of Australia and the history of the Australian people.
What to do in Mungo National Park?
Visit World Heritage Mungo National Park, home of the famous Mungo Lady and Mungo Man, and explore a place rich in Aboriginal history. Enjoy a walk or picnic, or camp near Lake Mungo. Wander the sands of time in ancient Mungo National Park at the heart of NSW's Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area.
Why is the discovery of Mungo Man important?
Mungo Lady and Mungo Man are perhaps the most important human remains ever found in Australia. ... They led to the establishment of Mungo National Park and the recognition of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area as a place that is important to all humanity. Why was Mungo Man's discovery so important?
How big is Mungo National Park in Australia?
The 110,967-hectare (274,210-acre) national park is situated approximately 875 kilometres (544 mi) west of Sydney in the Balranald Shire. Mungo National Park is the traditional meeting place of the Muthi Muthi, Nyiampaar and Barkinji Aboriginal Nations. People are no longer able to climb the sand dunes as stricter rules have been enforced.
Why is Mungo National Park Significant?
They represent the early emergence of human spiritual beliefs and provide a glimpse into the care provided to kin through Australia's deep history. Along with 20,000-year-old fossil human footprints, they tell an incredible story of First Australians' long history, and led to the establishment of Mungo National Park.
Why is Mungo National Park important to Aboriginal?
The archaeological treasures of Mungo Man and Mungo Woman were found here at Mungo National Park and are carbon dated to over 40,000 years old. These human remains indicate that Aboriginal people inhabited the area during this time, and make this the oldest known site of human occupation in the southern hemisphere.
What is so special about Lake Mungo?
Lake Mungo is home to the earliest modern human remains found in Australia, and possibly the world. Mungo Man had been buried and covered with red ochre. Mungo Lady was cremated more than 40,000 years ago. It is also one of the richest fossil footprint sites ever found.
Why is it important to protect Lake Mungo?
Lake Mungo is important for three reasons: It has "one of the longest continual records of Aboriginal life in Australia" having been occupied for over 50,000 years; the skeletons found in the sands of the lunette are the "oldest known fully modern humans outside Africa"; and the skeleton of Mungo Woman (or Mungo I as ...
Where is Mungo Woman now?
the Mungo National Park visitor centreMungo Lady was returned in 1992 and has been safely kept in the Mungo National Park visitor centre.
How old is the Mungo Man?
40,000 yearsA new study involving researchers from the University of Adelaide has finally got scientists to agree on the age of Mungo Man, Australia's oldest human remains - and the consensus is he is 22,000 years younger. The University of Melbourne-led study sets Mungo Man's new age at 40,000 years.
Why should you visit Lake Mungo?
One of the best ways to fully appreciate the size and amazing landscape of Lake Mungo is from the air. You'll get great views of the Walls of China, the Lake Mungo lunette, Vigar's Well, Zanci Homestead, Mungo Woolshed and more. With any Aussie adventure, meeting the local wildlife is a must.
How was Mungo Lady buried?
Moreover, they discovered that Mungo Lady, as she was named, had been ritually buried. First she had been cremated, then her bones were crushed, burned again and buried in the lunette.
What has been discovered at Lake Mungo?
The most important findings at Lake Mungo have been Mungo Man and Mungo Woman. Mungo Woman, a partially cremated body, was discovered in 1969 by Jim Bowler from the Australian National University (ANU). Mungo Woman was only partially cremated before the remainder of her bones were crushed.
Who found Mungo Man?
Late one afternoon in 1974, after some heavy rain, geologist Jim Bowler was riding his motor bike around the Lake Mungo lunette, continuing his studies. He spotted something he hadn't seen before - the gleam of a white object poking out of the soil.
Who is Mungo Man Lady?
Mungo Lady and Mungo Man are perhaps the most important human remains ever found in Australia. Their discovery re-wrote the ancient story of this land and its people and sent shock-waves around the world.
Is the Mungo Man Aboriginal?
Mungo Man: Australia's oldest remains taken to ancestral home. For decades, Australia's oldest human remains - an Aboriginal man who died about 42,000 years ago - have been stored at a university in Canberra.
What does Mungo Man tell us about ancient Australia?
The earliest record of human presence at Lake Mungo dates from about 50,000 years BP indicating that humans began using the site soon after the lake refilled. Bowler (1998, 150) has called it 'Australia's Eden' for its capacity to illuminate the ancient human history of the region and more broadly the continent.
What important discoveries were made at Lake Mungo?
In 1974 Bowler discovered the complete skeleton of a man, known as Mungo Man. Carbon-14 dating indicated that these remains were approximately 40,000 years old, meaning that Mungo Lady and Mungo Man were the oldest human remains found in Australia to that date.
Who are the traditional owners of Lake Mungo?
Three Aboriginal communities are the traditional owners of this land – the Barkandji/Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa people. The region is an ancient landscape and supports an ancient culture that continues to exist today. For example: The cremated remains of Mungo Woman were found in the dunes of Lake Mungo.
What is the Mungo National Park?
Protecting and preserving the Aboriginal culture and heritage of Mungo National Park, part of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area, is a joint effort. NPWS collaborates with representative elders from three local Aboriginal tribes to help manage this special and ancient place.
Where to visit Mungo Man?
Visit World Heritage Mungo National Park, home of the famous Mungo Lady and Mungo Man, and explore a place rich in Aboriginal history. Enjoy a walk or picnic, or camp near Lake Mungo. Wander the sands of time in ancient Mungo National Park at the heart of NSW's Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area. This extraordinary place is ...
Is Mungo National Park open?
Mungo National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
What is the central feature of Mungo National Park?
Features and location. The central feature of Mungo National Park is Lake Mungo, the second largest of the ancient dry lakes. The Mungo National Park is noted for the archaeological remains discovered in the park. The remains of Mungo Man, the oldest human remains discovered in Australia, and Mungo Lady, the oldest known human to have been ritually ...
Where is Mungo National Park?
Mungo National Park is a protected national park that is located in south-western New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 110,967-hectare (274,210-acre) national park is situated approximately 875 kilometres (544 mi) west of Sydney in the Balranald Shire. Mungo National Park is the traditional meeting place of the Muthi Muthi, Nyiampaar and Barkinji Aboriginal Nations. People are no longer able to climb the sand dunes as stricter rules have been enforced.
What is the name of the Aboriginal tribes that live in Mungo National Park?
Mungo National Park is the traditional meeting place of the Muthi Muthi, Nyiampaar and Barkinji Aboriginal Nations. People are no longer able to climb the sand dunes as stricter rules have been enforced. The national park is part of the UNESCO World Heritage –listed Willandra Lakes Region, an area of 2,400 square kilometres (930 sq mi) ...
How long is the Mungo National Park drive?
With further sponsorship from BHP, the Foundation implemented the Mungo National Park 60-kilometre (37 mi) long guided vehicle drive in 1990. As of 2010. [update] , the Foundation put together a prospectus to create a new Centre at Mungo for education and research.
How many dry lakes are there in Mungo?
The seventeen dry lakes are not all called Mungo but are all declared world heritage. The creek that used to flow into Mungo is being preserved as a sacred site. The national park is about 75 kilometres (47 mi) south-east of Pooncarie, 110 kilometres (68 mi) north-east of Mildura, Victoria and approximately 145 kilometres (90 mi) ...
When was Mungo National Park acquired?
Mungo National Park was acquired for the National Reserve System in 1979 by the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife. This organisation fundraised the $101,000 required to purchase the property. The Foundation also funded a resident archaeologist to work on the site from 1979 to 1983.
Where are Mungo Man and Lady buried?
They were buried on the shore of Lake Mungo, beneath the 'Walls of China', a series of lunettes on the South eastern edge of the lake.
5 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING MUNGO NATIONAL PARK
Mungo National Park is extremely remote—the closest town is over 100km away. There are two rural towns to access the national park from, and both are about 1.5hrs drive away:
ACCOMMODATION IN MUNGO NATIONAL PARK
There are only a few accommodation options within Mungo National Park: the campsite, Shearer’s Quarters and Mungo Lodge. Another alternative would be to stay outside of the national park in either Mildura or Balranald, as day trips often run from these towns. A one-way drive from either of these towns is about 1.5 hours.
8 BEST THINGS TO DO IN MUNGO NATIONAL PARK
In some places we’ve visited, the natural landscape seems to continually change. Everything can be transformed throughout the day by things like wind and light. Mungo is one of those places, where the colours looked completely different every time we went out.
Where is Mungo National Park?
Here’s your complete guide to visit Mungo National Park in Outback NSW – a World Heritage Site and one of Australia’s most significant landscapes!
Why is the Mungo Visitor Centre important?
But the Mungo Visitor Centre is a sight in itself because of the excellent exhibition it has inside. It’ll tell you all about the geological history and the flora and fauna that you’ll find in the area.
What was the Mungo Woolshed used for?
Next to the visitor centre is the Mungo Woolshed, a legacy of the time before this area was a national park and it was used by farmers to graze their sheep.
What is the Mungo Visitor Centre?
Mungo Visitor Centre. The Mungo Visitor Centre is the focus of the park and lots of the things to do will begin from here. It’s also where you’ll need to come when you first arrive to pay your entrance fee. But the Mungo Visitor Centre is a sight in itself because of the excellent exhibition it has inside.
How long is the Mungo track?
The Mungo Track is a 70-kilometre-long road that loops from the visitor centre, up over the lunette, around the back of the sand dunes, and then back to the visitor centre through some of the pastoralist heritage. Driving the 70-kilometre-long Mungo Track.
How many meals does Mungo Lodge serve?
The restaurant at Mungo Lodge serves three meals a day. For hotel-style rooms, there are two options.
When did Lake Mungo dry up?
Lake Mungo, like the other lakes in the region, dried up at the end of the last ice age, about 14,000 years ago . This very gradual process of drying up as the climate changed did two things that are important to know as a visitor to Mungo National Park.
Overview
Mungo National Park is a protected national park that is located in south-western New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 110,967-hectare (274,210-acre) national park is situated approximately 875 kilometres (544 mi) west of Sydney in the Balranald Shire. Mungo National Park is the traditional meeting place of the Muthi Muthi, Nyiampaar and Barkinji Aboriginal Nations. People are no longer …
Features and location
The central feature of Mungo National Park is Lake Mungo, the second largest of the ancient dry lakes. The Mungo National Park is noted for the archaeological remains discovered in the park. The remains of Mungo Man, the oldest human remains discovered in Australia, and Mungo Lady, the oldest known human to have been ritually cremated, were both discovered within the park. They were buried on the shore of Lake Mungo, beneath the 'Walls of China', a series of lunettes on …
Accommodation
National Park camp ground An Eco lodge provides cabin accommodation, caravan sites and glamping. there is also an restaurant and bar onsite, tours can be booked at the lodge.
See also
• Protected areas of New South Wales
External links
• Mungo National Park travel guide from Wikivoyage
• "Mungo National Park: Plan of management" (PDF). NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (PDF). Government of New South Wales. 26 July 2006. ISBN 1-74122-031-9.
• "Mungo National Park: Historic Heritage" (PDF). NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (PDF). Government of New South Wales. March 2003. ISBN 0-7313-6685-9.