We've been trying to get to Lake Mungo for something like 20 years and each time have been stopped by wet weather and road closures. Perhaps this time! We had done the Darling River Run from Bourke to Menindee many years ago and were looking forward to a repeat. One change this time, however, it is now the Baaka River Run with Australia increasingly returning to the indigenous names for many of its landmarks. This would, however, be our first time in that South Western corner of NSW between Menindee and the Victorian border.
Why Lake Mungo? Lake Mungo is home to the earliest modern human remains found in Australia, and possibly the world. Mungo Man had been buried and covered with red ochre. Mungo Lady was cremated more than 40,000 years ago. It is also one of the richest fossil footprint sites ever found. We were looking forward to it.
Originally we had a "convoy" of three vehicles with Richard and Jennie and Margaret and Arthur setting off on the 18th of July with us following on Friday the 21st with the plan of meeting up at Gunderbooka National Park just south of Bourke on Sunday.
The day before they were to leave, Richard discovered that he had a suspension problem on their van. We were hopeful of a quick resolution and they could head off with us on the 21st. It was not to be and the problem wasn't resolved for some weeks which was most unfortunate as it was Richard who had instigated this trip in the first place. We were down to a "convoy" of two.
