Day 8 - On the road again!

Day 8 - On the road again!

Fire & moon at Mungo Lake

Who was Mungo man & lady?

How long has Mungo lake been dry?

Plans sometimes change so while a relaxing breakfast was planned when grey clouds approached from both sides of the Mungo lake Dave became concerned. Rain plus red clay roads quickly become a gooey impassable mess for vehicles of the two-wheel variety. Tanya our friendly discovery ranger dropped in to advise us a quick exit was necessary if we wanted to make sure we could cross the 100 k or so of red clay road.

‣    What is the difference between a two & four-wheel drive vehicles?

With some slipping & sliding with plenty of emus watching our progress, we made the 100 k to successfully meet the sealed road.

 

Use the map below to find out the name of the river above.

Name two other sheep stations that border 'Yang' station.

Balranal lies on the Murrumbidgee River, a place where less than a hundred years ago there were Aboriginal camps along the river. One of the largest sheep stations of the area was 'Yanga'. I learned that local Aboriginal man 'Bes' Murray worked at 'Yanga' station for 50 years. He grew up on an Aboriginal mission called 'The Island' near Yanga creek, which runs off the Murrumbidgee River. Many local Aboriginals worked on 'Yanga' station because they liked to work near their country, doing various jobs, rousing, shearing, fencing etc. The Yanga creek is the source for the lake of the same name. There is a finger of land between the two lakes where the original 'Yanga' homestead sits gazing across the lake. The homestead with it's long wide verandas, cypress pine walls, meat butchering house, English garden & other various outhouses is a great historic walkabout that I recommend to any other traveling nomads. In times past these lakes were a great source of fish for both Aboriginal & non-Aboriginal people.

Download this photo use photshop to enlarge & summarise life on 'Yanga' station.

What was this hall used for?

'Yanga' sheep station homestead. Would like to live here?

The wilderness of Mungo Lake had well & truly given way to agriculture land of the Riverina where fields of cotton, rice, sheep & cattle line the long straight road. We stopped at the rice bowl capital Leeton, shared an Italian meal & reflected on our last night as a mob.