This is a rarely visited WHS among our community (only 5 were there before me), but the park sees a remarkable 80,000 visitors a year. I had always thought that it is pretty remote, but it actually lies within reach for a weekend trip from Adelaide or Melbourne. You can drive out there yourself - it is 90km on an unpaved road, but the surface is not bad (unless it is raining, but then it will be closed). I opted for a day tour to Mungo National Park by minibus from Mildura. Lake Mungo is one of the Willandra Lakes.

After having been out there for a full day, I can only recommend a visit to this precious place. The semi-arid desert with its specific plants, the marvellous colours of the dunes (nicknamed the Walls of China), the fossilized tree trunks and bones that are exposed each day by erosion, the views over the vast former lakes. To put an end to the trampling of the ground, the core area where the fossils are found is now only accessible with an official guide. Our guide, Graham Clarke from Harry Nanya Tours, proved to be excellent. He knows everything about the place, its ecology and the paleontological discourse surrounding the 40,000-year-old Mungo homo sapiens skeletons.

On the way back we were fortunate to see a group of young wild emu up close. They are very curious and came to the side of the road to have a good look at us. In the same area, I saw two hopping kangaroos, also a rare sight (the most commonly visible kangaroos in Australia are those killed on the road).