The adventure continues: Part 2 Mutawintji National Park

On this day we explored the Mutawintji National Park, 130 kms northeast of Broken Hill. It is an area with spectacular rocky hills, gorges, waterholes, majestic red river gums lining creek beds and ancient Aboriginal stencils, paintings and etchings. The park is the traditional home of the Malyankapa and Paakantji people and has been handed back to them to manage. In their language Mutawintji means 'place of green grass and waterholes'. 

The road had been closed the day before due to heavy rains but luckily for us was now open again. The tour company picked us up at our hotel at 8.00 am and off we went full of anticipation. (We had seen the park in a Nicole Kidman movie and were intrigued as we had never heard of it before.)

Within the park is the Mutawintji Historic Site, a restricted site only available with a certified Aboriginal guide.  It has special significance to the Aboriginal people as a meeting place and site for initiations and other ceremonies.

Before our walk, we were shown a brief presentation that interpreted the Aboriginal mythology that explained the creation of the park, then set off with Mark our guide.

Mark described the plants we saw and explained how they had been used for centuries for medicinal purposes and food. An amazing site was the fossilised tracks of a giant scorpion, captured in a rock that had once lined the ocean floor.

 I loved the rugged rocks set against the blue sky and swirling clouds.

We then came upon a huge rock overhang. It was here that the Aborigines had made hand stencils and painted emu tracks, a boomerang, and a water hole. Here I am viewing the art, but it was only when Mark explained what everything meant that I understood. For example, the symbol for the  water hole told travellers where it was located, while further symbols indicated that it was a secret men's place - information I would never have known if I relied on my own observation.

We then crossed a creek and scrambled over rocks and around trees, at one stage grabbing a chain fence to haul ourselves across the rock face. Here we found a running creek, water holes, Aboriginal etchings on huge boulders, and magnificent views.

This emu etching is at least 10,000 years old.

The end of a wonderful walk.

On the drive back to Broken Hill with the saltbush and mulga plains stretching as far as the eye could see, we spotted kangaroos that generously posed for us, and flocks of emus that moved in a sprightly manner through the bush with their delicate ballet steps and flouncing feathers. Of course my new Panasonic Lumix camera with its amazing lens made it easy to capture close-up images.