The march of the bitumen into the Outback continues …. with the majority of a 26-kilometre formerly dirt road into the Mungo National Park and Willandra Lakes region in remote south-west NSW now sealed.
Marma Box Creek Road is a critical link to the World Heritage-listed sites and, a 23.1-kilometre stretch of it has now been future-proofed, thanks to a $3.25 million investment from the NSW Government’s Fixing Local Roads program and $900,000 from Balranald Shire Council.
And, with investment from the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery program of over $1.35 million, the council is working to seal the final 2.9 kilometres of Marma Box Creek Road before the end of the year, weather permitting.
The newly sealed road improves access to stunning country. PIC: Gilberto Olimpio / Pexels
These upgrades will significantly reduce road closures, and tourists who visit the site will also benefit from safer journeys in the world-famous region where Mungo Lady and Mungo Man were discovered.
For the Mutthi Mutthi, Paakantji and Ngyimpaa people, the 40,000-year-old remains, and other evidence of their ancestors found in the area are an important part of their communal history.
The remains of Mungo Lady were returned to Lake Mungo in 1992, while Mungo Man’s remains were repatriated in 2017, both via Marma Box Creek Road.
The Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, said the upgraded road represented more than just improved tourism and freight infrastructure; it signified a crucial link to the ancient cultural heritage of First Peoples.
“By facilitating safer and more accessible travel, this initiative promises to enrich tourism experiences and foster greater appreciation for the profound cultural significance of this unique landscape,” she said.
Balranald Shire Council Mayor, Cr Louie Zaffina, said the road was the ‘the gateway’ to major tourism attractions in the area, and an integral freight route for the area’s mining interests and local farms.
“Ensuring the road’s safety and resilience supports the longevity of the significant economic benefits and employment opportunities that are fed back into the nearby communities through these industries,” he said.
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It’s unfortunate that well-graded dirt tracks into remote tourist areas need to be bitumised. It takes the sense of adventure out of the experience in getting to these places.
On one hand well maintained dirt tracks do add to the outback experience but if bitumen roads improve tourism & local employment due to increased visitor numbers then I’m all for it
Vexing , ain’t it ???
Having traversed a lot of Australias’ gravel/dirt roads over my long life I still accept the need for safer access, particularly during the “wet”. When an adverse incident/accident occurs, recovery is slow and expensive on the older remote tracks. The journey is secondary to the destination.
45 yrs ago a trip to Cape York was an epic trip, 20 yrs ago the amount of vehicles on the dirt made it just dangerous, so too for many other glorious dirt tracks, that now the numbers truly justify sealing just for safety sake, the increase in idiots demands it……..
It is good to see improved access to this world class heritage site.
The visitor centre is well worth visiting. I first travelled to Mungo in 1980s it was a bit epic and if it rained you could be stuck.
The road has steadily improved over the years. It is nice to hear it has good safe access. Australia’s world heritage sites are well worth visiting.
Not everybody wants bitumen roads, hordes of people, exploitation of local areas, all for a dollar. In the end, it’s not always the locals that benefit, it’s mostly big business and governments.
I have visited the site, and had no problems with the road in 1990.