Mungo NP

In two words YES and NO.

ha ha

see post 43536 and ask do a search on Willem's site about "Grandma"

sorry mate, have not been there yet but certainly sounds like you should go there.

Mungo NP is a very special place - an important destination rather than a detour!!Quite apart from it's importance as a historic site dating back tens of thousands of years, it has some fantastic wind sculpted sand formations on the western side and on the eastern side of the main dune (lunette) is also well worth visiting and climbing.

Dog? Dunno. No way I would.

HTH

John

IMHO - Mungo Lodge accomodation &/or meals now managed locally and is fine, Visitor & interpretation centre is O.K., Woolshed is good if you have not seen many before, Walls of China accross Lake Mungo are worth the visit but may not be as high as you may be expecting, Exploroz readers should definitely take the 60km or so loop drive (anti-clockwise) behind the Walls (several bush camping sits available) & see Vigars Well (old Cobb & Co stopping off point) etc.
You can go up from Mildura then back by Wentworth (less dirt more bitumen). Overall rating for the trip 8 out of 10.
Dog? Nope.

G'day Matt, you'll find Mungo a very fascinating place. Enthralling history, huge vista, peaceful and quiet. Lots of wildlife, running roaming all over the place (depending on time of year). Last thing NP would want is a dog entering the environs and perhaps bringing in disease or infection (always a possibility) and besides, in that part of the country you need to be be very wary of baits (1080/Strychninne type) they cause death very swiftly. Check with NP Office at Buronga (just across the bridge from Mildura) if there's any rain in the area. They will advise you of road conditions and if open. Roads are all dirt (clay) and they become impassable after small amoount of rain.

Matt L

I studied Lake Mungo at University. It therefore held some interest for me when I visited and I thoroughly enjoy it.

It is a very important site and I suggest you visit.

As for you dog - I love dogs but do not own one for that very reason. You can't take them into most Caravan Parks and National Parks.

Tjilpi

Gday Matt, I have been to Mungo many times with my prevoius job, and it's well worth the trip.
There is an FM radio channel you can tune into to get when you get there, it gives you quite a lot of the story about Mungo.
I always used to allow 2 hours to go along the Arumpo road to Mungo from Mildura (108 Kms). There are usually quite a few bulldust holes and corrugations along there.
The Top Hut Road is generally better but is a lot further to go.
Haven't been along the Balranald road though.
There are some good websites with Mungo info, just Google.
Dogs. No!

Dave

The Buronga to Arumpo Road is currently in really bad condition.

There is a kitty-litter mine up there and they are bringing tipper trucks with tipper trailers (big ones) up and down there.

Once you're off the bitumen, it is bulldust gallore until you get to Mungo basically.

There is one section where some tourists put their Wicked Van and it was so deep in bulldust they couldn't get out!

Now, the council has put up those red warning posts - lots of them, and made a few km of slalom track ... don't put a wheel wrong at speed - the wholes are terrible.

Also a couple of the grids are in bad repair too...

But worth the trip - absolutely, although they have probably finished the boardwalk now at the erosion gullies where the loop road crosses the shoreline, so you will be penned in a little more than a few weeks ago.

Cheers
Andrew.

Hi Matt

It is a very special place and well worth the visit, check the NPWS web site and find out when the local Aboriginal people who now run the park are holding their walks and talks as they are great. The road up from Balranald is OK and the camp ground is OK with showers at the visitors centre. No dogs.

Have fun

Craig

Hi Mat L
Haven,t beeen there for a few years but I wouldn,t hesitate in going back
allow a couple of days
cheers mechpete.

Been there dozens of times, best place in NSW but strictly no dogs. Roads are not as bad as some other posts suggest, easy access even for 2WD with care and when dry, but a different story altogether after rain. The Arumpo road from Mildura is rougher than the Balranald road(s) but also prettier. There's always the approach via Pooncarie, some of which is blacktop. My own favourite is from Ivanhoe.

Willandra NP is also worth a look, particularly if you ever used to sing "Flash Jack from Gundagai" at school (or pubs even) ..the penny never dropped with me until I got to the woolshed... good accomm there (gotta book) and basic campsites. Lots of birdlife near the weir..

>and can you sneak in and out with a small dog.

Yep. Took my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in there and the world didn't fall down as many (repressed) people on this forum would have you believe.

Is it worth taking a detour to see...?

Nope.

Mike Harding

Matt,
Great place and worth visiting.

When we went there someone did get kicked out for having their dog, so be warned.

Regards