Mutawintji National Park

Mutawintji lies in the Bynguano Range northeast of Broken Hill, where gorges cut into red rock hold semi-permanent waterholes that made the area a gathering place for Aboriginal groups over thousands of years. The Mutawintji Historic Site protects engravings, ochre paintings and stencils in rock shelters, among the most significant art complexes in New South Wales, and it can only be visited on guided tours run by Aboriginal guides. In 1998 the park became the first in the state to be handed back to traditional owners and is jointly managed. Elsewhere in the park, walking tracks lead to gorges, lookouts and waterholes, with red kangaroos, euros and abundant birdlife.

What you actually see

• The rock art - engravings, stencils and paintings seen on guided tours only.
• The gorges and waterholes - red rock canyons holding water in dry country.
• The wildlife - red kangaroos, euros, emus and birds around the waterholes.
• The range country - the Bynguano Range rising from the western plains.

When to go

April to October; summer heat here is extreme and dangerous. Access roads are unsealed and close after rain, sometimes for days. Historic site tours run on a limited schedule and must be booked in advance through the park.

Honest expectations

Reaching the park requires driving over a hundred kilometres of dirt road with no services. Camping is basic and water must be carried. The rock art cannot be visited independently, and tours do not run daily. There is no phone coverage.

Nearby

Broken Hill is the supply base; White Cliffs lies far northeast.