We did a bit of packing up last night so there was less to do this morning. Our plan was to get going as early as possible and pack up the camper, go for a shower at the shearers quarters and then head into Menindee for a few supplies before heading south towards Mungo National Park. We managed to do all those things, but we certainly didn’t set out as early as we had wanted. Nathan decided to sleep in, and sleep in, and sleep in!
It was lovely to have a shower, and Andrew filled up the water tank on our camper as it had run dry since it was last filled at Broken Hill. In Menindee we bought some milk, bread and locally grown apricots. We also topped up the car with diesel.
The road to Pooncarie was mostly dirt, though funnily enough there were a few kilometres of bitumen when we crossed into Wellington shire…just enough to make us think we’d left the dirt road behind before hitting more dirt. We saw one snake, several lizards, kangaroos, emus and stock on or beside the road on the drive.
We had lunch in Pooncarie where there was some lovely green grass and a playground for the kids. Then we kept driving, this time on bitumen for a while, until we got to Top Hut Road, the road into Mungo National Park. It was dirt and was open, so on we went.
We arrived at Mungo National Park at around 3 pm and decided to stay for two nights. It was the same deal as Kinchega National Park, there was a $7 per day park entry fee and an additional $10 per night for camping ($5 per adult, kids under 5 were free). There are toilets, rubbish bins and water at the campsite and not far away at the visitors centre are showers.
I cooked pasta for dinner, though it was hard work to get anything to cook due to the wind and it took a lot longer to get the meal organised than anticipated. While we were washing up the kids went for a ride and didn’t come back, so I sent Andrew off to find them and he didn’t come back. I ended up taking the car to go and find them, and there they were chatting to some people half the campsite away. I was told my boys were very sociable! Yes, I know Nathan is, perhaps not so much Toby.
We finally got everything packed away and we drove to the Walls of China lookout in time to see the sun set. It really is a beautiful spot. On the way we saw some Major Mitchell cockatoos..the first I have ever seen in the wild. It became my mission to photograph some before we leave Mungo National Park.
Lizard on the road
Toby asleep in the car still clutching his drawing things
Advertising the local garage
Our road to Mungo National Park is open!
At Walls of China lookout
Boardwalk to lookout
Walls of China at sunset
