AUSSIEPICS




Mungo National Park Dec 2008

Mungo National Park, south western NSW, includes the Mungo, Gol Gol, and Arumpo lakes, which are all ancient dry lake beds. The big drawcard is the "Walls of China". There's a lot of info available via Google so I won't re-write it all here. It's incredible, go there..

ASIDE: That was 2008 and I got quite a shock as I went past Lake Boga. This was the 'runway' for the Catalina's (flying boats) during WWII so obviously quite a sizable body of water. A couple of years previously I had passed by (and splashed in it's waters). This trip it was empty and dry enough to drive on. (with sign saying not to). Most of northern Victoria is going the same way but as I update this in 2011 we've just heard that Lake Boga is full again. I hope we've learned a little in the intervening years and that we won't let it run dry again.

Anyway, that gave you something to read while the pic's loaded, now lets go have a look at one of Australia's best kept secrets.




Lunette with Tree








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A very small lunette








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This is the eastern face of the dune, which is gradually moving westward.








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Looking up the eastern face








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Looking east, part of the access road visible








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Some relative of the Varanidae family. If you know which one it is, let me know.








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You probably can't read this (shrunk down for the internet), so you'll have to go see for yourself.








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Ants live here...








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... Lunch (for a monitor probably?) lived here. (Although just because I didn't see any echidna's, doesn't mean there are none here.)








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This is no longer maintained, but was once the entrance to a goat trap








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see above








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Something else that someone can identify for me, hardly rare, but a striking contrast to it's surroundings.








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The dam is to the right and it looks like water ran down this. More I cannot say.








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Obligatory shot of the ute








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see above








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God's jigsaws.. ?








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What is left of a tree. (That was a statement, not a question by the way)








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pls note size (depth) of depression in foreground. This was barely visible walking up to it because of the glare and so bright that autofocus had to be turned off.








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I think what's going on here is as the dune slowly moves west these are the first of the new generations picking up on the slowly clearing eastern side. There's a depression here like a blow-out as well so these trees are probably picking up a little extra moisture.








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Toward the end of the 70km drive around the dune, is an old homestead. This is looking out of the entrance to the dugout. The dugout was barely below ground but was decidedly cooler than outside. In really hot weather I'd imagine it would be like entering heaven.








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A "Shed", for cattle in some form as the rear is open to stock races.








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..and again








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... and again.








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Outback Outback.








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Finally, a Bearded Dragon...








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... which seemed to think if it stayed still enough for long enough I'd give up and go away. It was right.








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Out There 4x4 Warragul Mark A. Biggs, Author