Lookouts and scenic vantage points
Mungo lookout
Can you imagine what life was like when there were towering kangaroos and birds with legs like a horse? At Mungo lookout in Mungo National Park, you can gaze across the ice age lake bed that has uncovered bones of the original megafauna.
Gaze across at the iconic ‘Walls of China’ formation, sculpted over thousands of years, by wind and rain. This erosion has also uncovered artefacts of the Ngyiampaa, Mutthi Muhhti, and Paakantyi Aboriginal people, dating back over 40,000 years. It’s an awesome and humbling vision at any time of day, especially dusk.
Combine this scenic lookout with accessibleGrassland Nature stroll for an overview of the more recent plants and animals of the region. When thoughts turn to lunch, top it off with a tasty picnic at nearby Main campground.
Activities: walking, birdwatching, sightseeing, photography, astronomy and star gazing
Location:
shown on Visitor Centre map
Getting there: Mungo lookout is a short walk from Main campground in Mungo National Park. To get there, Main campground is located on Arumpo Road, not far from Mungo Visitor Centre.
Facilities: picnic tables, non-flush toilets
Red Top lookout
Wheelchair access: easy
This area is fully wheelchair accessible:
- The boardwalk is fully accessible for wheelchairs
Mungo is one of a handful places where you can see the extraordinary effects of erosion on the landscape.
Red Top Lookout is an unbeatable vantage point, offering bird’s eye views of the park’s remarkable deep ravines, rippling patterns and rich textures.
It’s an easy half-hour drive to the lookout from the Mungo Visitor Centre carpark. Along the way, you’ll find signs discussing the long-term climate changes that led to the lakes in Mungo National Park drying out. Plus, there are even more attention-grabbing views, so don’t forget your camera.
Activities: walking
Location:
shown on Walls of China map
Getting there: On entering Mungo National Park, head for the visitor centre in the southwest corner of the park. Then take the easy walk along the Mungo track, following the signs to Red Top lookout. Follow the drive tour to reach Red Top lookout and boardwalk.
Opening hours: Mungo National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Walls of China viewing platform
Wheelchair access: easy
- This area is fully wheelchair-accessible.
- A boardwalk provides easy access from the carpark to the dunes. However, further access to the viewing is difficult without assistance.
- The toilet in the adjacent carpark is wheelchair-friendly
You’ve seen it on a postcard, now come and see it for real. One of the most iconic views in Outback NSW, Walls of China viewing platform is the first stop on the Self-guided tour of Mungo National Park. Located west of the visitor centre, the wheelchair-accessible lookout offers magnificent views across the famous World Heritage Willandra Lakes region.
A magnificent sight at sunrise or sunset, gaze across at the dramatic formations sculpted by wind and erosion. It’s not just the scenic desert views that will take your breath away; these lunettes harbour vital clues to the evolution of life on earth.
Imbedded deep within the ancient lakebeds, historic relics of early Aboriginal culture have been discovered, believed to be over 36 000 years old. Close your eyes and imagine a fertile land fed by vast lakes, where wombats the size of buffalos grazed during the last ice age.
Activities: motor vehicle use, astronomy and star gazing, birdwatching, picnicking, playing and socialising
Location:
shown on Walls of China map
Getting there: Walls of China viewing platform is in the central precinct of Mungo National Park. To get there, head east from Mungo Visitor Centre for approximately 10km.
Road access: Unsealed road/trail - 2WD vehicles. Dry weather only.
Facilities: picnic tables, carpark, drinking water, lookout, non-flush toilets
Scenic roads, tracks and trails
Walls of China walk and Discovery Tour
- 500m each way (one-way route)
Walking (easy, 30 minutes each way)
General information
Link up with Aboriginal Discovery rangers for an informative tour of the famous Walls of China, and hear of the significance of the lunette and its history. A fascinating human story. Learn about the 50,000+ years of Aboriginal cultural history of the Willandra Lakes and discover the compelling story of survival associated with the rise and fall of the lake.
Access to the Walls of China is by guided tour only. At other times, a stroll along the boardwalk late in the afternoon will reveal the walls' extraordinary colours, and the informative signage explains the phenomena. An early morning walk can also be evocative.
For more information on bookings and tours, see our Discovery guided tours, or the Visit Mungo website.
Directions: this walk begins at the Walls of China carpark.
Contact:
Buronga, Phone: 03 5021 8900
