Well Mungo has thrown a few unexpected things our way!

On our way in we were trying to talk to the girls about Lake Mungo who seemed to have forgotten that there was no water (it has been dry for thousands of years). Quite a way in front of us, it looked like a person walked across the road (there was plenty of goats, sheep and cows we had already dodged), as we got closer we saw it indeed was.  Bob and Wendy had pulled off to the side of the road for a cuppa only to get their motorhome stuck in the loose dirt on the side (it was very deceptive as it had been recently graded). 
Anyway, Greg got out to give them a hand.  They dug out the wheel that was not stuck too badly but due to the weight of the motorhome it didn't have the pull to drive out so Greg grabbed the SnatchStrap.  Pulling it out of its packaging to be used for the first time!  It was successful and a grateful Bob and Wendy were back on the road again to spend the night at Mungo campground next to us. 

Once we got into the camp ground we set up and raced down to the lunettes to catch the sunset, not only is it the best time to view the amazing pinnacles it offers the best time to photograph them with their reds, oranges, silvers and sandy creases coming to life before you. My photos never do anything justice but Greg got a really lovely shot in the 3 minutes that the sun popped out from behind the cloud, lit up the landscape and then was gone.

That night it was a quick dinner and into bed as we knew it would be a long night with Teddy deciding to cut two new teeth. Boy were we right! I lost count of how many times we got up to him but at some stage it started to rain, and that made things worse because now he was scared of the loud raindrops on the tent roof.

When we went to bed our camp looked like this... (left) When we woke up it looked like this... (right) You could feel the swimming pool growing underneath your feet!

After two trips to the toilet in what can only be described as sludge I pushed Greg to make a decision - stay and be stuck in one room with three kids (already climbing the walls) or drive the treacherous road to the Lodge and see if they had any rooms we could stay in.

Just before he left to see what was available and dry Teddy let out a signature cough, the kind that leaves us on tenterhooks for a few days while we wait to see if it develops into croup. That decided it, we had to get out of the tent and into dry, warm surroundings.

While Greg was gone, Jasmine (a little upset) had come to the conclusion it was all her fault.  "In the car on our way in I prayed that it would rain and fill up Lake Mungo because I wanted to see it with water, it's all my fault and I wish it would stop raining now!"

Greg came back ready to pack up camp, he booked us into the Shearers Quarters just near the Visitor Center - PERFECT! That meant we had to pack camp in the pouring rain, by the end of it we were absolutely soaked and dripping but heading to a hot shower with a craving for pumpkin soup.

Now what you might not have realised is that all roads into Mungo are dirt, there are 3 roads - the Pooncarie Road (that is what we came in on from Menindee) about 80kms dirt, the Mildura Road about the same and the Balranald Road about 100kms of dirt.  As soon as it rains the roads are CLOSED - We were stuck!

Driving on dirt roads in the wet is not only dangerous it is expensive.  If you are caught you will be fined $1000 per wheel (that was what the rumour was but a hefty fine anyway) AND you may have to pay to fix the road.  In places like this when Tourists complain about bad roads, it is normally them that have done the damage, first thing in the morning when all the roads were closed we heard most of the caravanners leaving camp illegally, their rigs would have torn up that sludgy road in no time and when it dried it would have been horrendous. Remember that next time you complain about bad dirt roads then make a run for it when they are closed. There was a bus load of Dr's and a Semi Trailer both rescued by the Rangers.  Still we were amazed by the people who ignored the signs and drove the terrible conditions - there are signs at all dirt roads that will tell you if they are open or closed, there won't be barricades, there won't be people to tell you to turn around so you have to take note of those signs and DO NOT miss them.

Thankfully we were not alone, there were two other groups who were also camping and decided to take up residence at the Shearers Quarters so we enjoyed great company in the kitchen as we all waited for the roads to re-open.  We couldn't even get to the Walls of China (that's what they call the pinnacles) as all the   We arrived on Thursday (it rained that night and all day Friday), Saturday was a lovely sunny day and on Sunday the Rangers felt so sorry for us they put on a couple of tours to entertain us all.  They took us around the new Visitor Centre that they are building and the artist explained the designs and what they all meant.  It was a great insight and we can't wait to go back and see it all finished!  Shortly after two of the guides took us up to the Walls and explained the incredible land that is Lake Mungo. 

The Tour opened our eyes to the heritage and the little things that you would overlook so easily if they were not pointed out to you. Simple things like a pile of rocks around what looked like grayish sand was actually a 70,000 year old fire place and little flecks on the sand were egg shells from emu eggs.  What the kids liked most were the stories of the mega fauna - the massive emus, wombats and 12ft man eating kangaroos!  What I found truly astonishing was that our guides were brought up knowing the traditional stories of these incredible animals.  For years their grandparents were telling scientists that people were alive in the time of the mega fauna or the stories about how the tribes got their cleverest people together to work out how they could defeat the terrifying kangaroos and the black axes they designed to do the job.  It was not until the scientists uncovered the bones of these incredible creatures in the fires of the aboriginal people who lived on the lake edges that they believed the Dreamtime stories.

It was fantastic to get a new appreciation of an amazing place and it just reinforced to me how important it is to talk to people, take tours and have an understanding of the history of a place, it just brings so much more to your experience.

After the tour the two guides took off excitedly to meet up with students from a couple of universities who were cataloguing the artifacts emerging from the sands. They were excited as no one had been up there since the deluge and rains always brought out new and exciting discoveries.

About lunchtime on Sunday we found out the Balranald road had reopened but it would be another couple of days for the other two roads. We packed up and drove out with a couple of other 4WD to support each other in case someone got stuck - that was hairy!  As soon as I can work out how I will load some video that I took as we drove through the slippery sludgy puddles.  We were all very happy to see sealed roads after that adventure and were about 40 kgs heavier with the mud caked to the cars!

We were going to stop at Hay for the night but decided to go right through so at about midnight we drove into our driveway ready for a good sleep in our own bed followed by a hot shower the next morning.  I wasn't going to send Jas to school however at 8am she bounded out of bed and there was no way she was missing school!

Normally I'm not ready to come home but this time I certainly was.  I loved every second of our adventure, even the muddy puddles I had to dodge.  We are now looking forward to our next trip which looks likely to be Gold Coast area in September, I promise to keep you posted!