Previous stop: Lake Menindee

Lake Mungo is a special place. For more reasons than one. The Great Walls of China, as the rock features are called, are spectacular. But that's not all, there is a lot of history at Lake Mungo.

Lake Mungo has possibly the oldest known evidence of modern humans on the planet. Evidence of Aboriginals going back as far as 40,000 years. Possibly even 60,000 years. And there is evidence of continuous human inhabitation from that time on so that would make it the longest know continuous human inhabitation as well.

As you walk along the banks of the long since dried up lake (the lake dried up 14,000 years ago), you see differently coloured layers of sediment. Each of the layers represents a different time period- 15, 20, 30, 60 thousand years ago. Occasionally you come across some animal bones or remains of a camp fire that has been exposed by erosion. There are even aboriginal burial sites.

The morning before I came out to Lake Mungo, I went to a nearby (more than 100km away) tourist info centre to see what I could find out. I was given a number for a local guide, Graeme Clarke of Harry Nanya Tours. I called Graeme and arranged to meet him out there in the afternoon.

Many thanks to Graeme as it was an invaluable experience to be shown around the area with someone who knows the land so well. Learning about the history of the place doesn't necessarily change the photos I took at the place, but it certainly changes what I think about them. The images have so much more impact on me knowing how significant the place is.

There were other people there when I was taking my photos - just a small group of tourists - but after they left, it was just me. In the middle of nowhere, standing there with that amazing landscape all around me, and the history of human inhabitation going back 60,000 years. And the bones. Once it got dark it was hard not to have to look over one's shoulder every now and then.

Some of the shots at Lake Mungo:

And some more shots from around the area I saw whilst on the way there or on the way out of there:

Next stop Great Ocean Road