Yanga Mamanga on the Murrumbidgee

I am writing this beside the Murrumbidgee River, Mamanga campsite, just out of range of red river gums  which have been dropping limbs alarmingly close.The tree has the nickname, widow tree, because many bushmen have died camping underneath.

 This 11-day Mungo trip kicked off with a stop in Wagga Wagga at the Big4 campsite where we spent the 21st Dec 2012, last day of the world (as some had predicted according to Mayan prophecy) in an eerily deserted campsite. All around us caravans stood peopleless, the only sign of life was meals on wheels arriving for our neighbour, a thin and reclusive guy who had blocked out all possibility of light entering his caravan. The world was down to us and galahs and cockies for companions.

At Balranald, word came through that the temperature next day would be 42C in town and a lot hotter, maybe 50C inside the camper, further inland in Mungo National Park where we were heading. So, we switched the itinerary and went to Mamanga campsite where we sat on the riverbank as a red-bellied black snake swam across the river in front of us, and a kingfisher dived for fish.