Mungo Here we Go Again

Our second visit to Mungo National Park for Christmas rest and isolation in the NSW Outback sees floods, rain and temperatures only in the low 40s. Quite a change from sizzling 50s in 2014. We lie low between 10am and 4pm, doing our sorties early morning and late afternoon, a bit like the roos who join us in the shade and sprawl like luxury models on a photoshoot.

Robert escapes the persistent flies with a face net and then curls up with a book under the mozzie net.

We head to Red tank, the water source below the lunette lookout, which has attracted Big red Roos lazing under a bush conveniently close to the water.

In the early morning, Gen spots foxes here, one with a broken leg; emus popping in to top up their thirst; and flocks of galahs.

At the lookout, with its splendid views of eroded sediment and vistas of the dry lake floor, we crack open a bottle of fizz with cassis for a refreshing Christmas kir.

Next day, we have fun in the afternoon doing the 49km loop along sandy tracks, before circling back to the lookout for sunset.

A couple from Balranald are having fun flying their drone - they point out a prettily speckled sand skink venturing out in the evening cool. After dark, Gen sets up for night photography and clicks away at the stars, hundreds of them twinkling in the clear sky.

Next morning we take an unpaved backroad across dried lakebed and mallee to Euston. Wildlife is everywhere: emus, roos, hawks, bearded dragons, skinks, galahs and parrots.