Monday, July 8th to Saturday, July 13th, 2024 - Lake Mungo, OLD Bones and a UNESCO World Heritage Site

 

Dawn at Mungo Lodge

This is a story with very ancient roots. It tells of a place that many of you might have heard of, but others of you might be going......where on earth?! Like the sign on the oil drum above, it is of 'skeletal' significance! 

Red Gol Gol, Brownish-Grey Mungo and Lighter Grey Zanci Layers of 'Walls of China'

The fundamental reason for us knowing this story in our European culture is due to a combination of shifting sands, rainfall, and a chance discovery of cremated human remains in this very strange moonlike landscape of sand and clay, in 1968. The remains were that of an 18 year old woman, who became known a 'Mungo Lady'. She was found in the middle, brownish gray Mungo layer shown in the photo above, which is dated between 25,000 to 50,000 years old. 

Walls of China - Residuals

Anthropologists puzzled about the cremation of Mungo Lady as there is no instance of it ever being found anywhere else in First Nations practices. At the time her age was thought to be 20,000 years. As if that was not impressive enough, the discovery of a second skeleton in 1974, by the same geologist (Jim Bowler) provided a more accurate means of dating. It was a full skeleton of a mature man in his early 50's. No surprise that he is referred to as Mungo Man! His hands were arranged over his groin, and he had been painted with red ochre - a substance that is not found within 150 miles and would have been a very precious commodity. He also had an arthritic right elbow, so they speculate that he may have been a fisherman who speared the fish that were plentiful at that time on the shores of Lake Mungo. This ceremonial burial suggests he was an important person. The skeleton was dated to 40,000 years ago making this discovery the oldest human remains ever found outside of Africa.

Wombat Bones - 40,000 Years Old

This is the point in my story where you might expect me to show you photos of these skeletons in a museum. This is where Mungo is different from conventional museums - it is more of an outdoor museum, which is undergoing continual change due to erosion from wind and water. If Jim Bowler had come by at another time - even weeks or months later - both skeletons may have already been covered up, crushed by animal feet or blown away on the rapidly changing dunes. 

Erosional Features of the Walls of China

The Walls of China is a 130 foot high structure called a lunette, a half moon shape of clay, silt and sand, which shows where the former shore of Lake Mungo existed. The lake was 10 miles across and the lunette stretches 20 miles long. It dried up 20,000 years ago and since then the shore has been blown steadily by winds from the west. Before European settlement the lunette was moving steadily, but the European farming practices of the past 250 years has loosened the soils and led to the process speeding up. Today it moves eastward at about three feet per year and is expected to no longer exist in 10,000 years. 

Mobile White Sands at the top of the Mungo Lunette (Walls of China)

The area is now Mungo National Park, which is managed by an agreement with three local tribes of indigenous peoples along with Governmental representatives and local landholders. The ethos of the park is to allow nature to take care of the process of  revealing and then covering the artifacts that are found. At the time of their discovery Mungo Lady and Mungo Man were removed. (Poor Mungo Lady was carried away in one of the archeologist's suitcase - with his clothing used as packing material for her!). This was very disturbing to indigenous peoples and years of negotiation finally led to the return of their remains. Mungo Lady was brought back in 1992 from where she had been stored in Canberra. Mungo Man was finally returned to the National Park in 2017. Both were re-buried in 2022 to a location known to only a few. This decision took a years of negotiation among all the stakeholders. Their existence has been documented and the possibility that they might never be retrieved again in the future is considered to be OK - it is nature's way.

While much publicity has circulated about the two prominent skeletons, there are still 106 other sets of partial human remains that are stored in the National Park. Their fate has not yet been determined due to opposing points of view that have stalled the decision-making on their behalf.

In 2015, Jim Bowler, the scientist who discovered both sets of bones said "I stumbled across these bones and blundered into an archeological and cultural minefield!"

Evidence of 40,000 Year-Old Cooking Fires

It is much simpler to walk this area which was once a site of a fertile shore with plenty of water and teeming with food. We saw the remains of cooking fires, which were stains in the surface, from the drippings of fats and oils from the game and fish that were cooked here.

Emu Egg Shells 

We were also shown emu egg shells that were 40,000 years old...... We learned that one emu egg is about the same volume as ten hen's eggs and have a very high fat content. Our guide, Lance, told us his mother used to make a wonderful cake from emu eggs without needing butter. He warned that eating too much of the egg or the meat will give you diarrhea if you're not used to it.

Modern Emu

We were approached by a couple of modern emus who seemed curious, but fortunately they decided to leave us alone. They can be quite menacing as they stand eye to eye with you, especially if you have food in your hand!

Freshwater Cod Bones - Jaw Vertebrae and Ear Bone

I know it doesn't look like much, but I had to keep reminding myself, 'these small fish bones and eggshells are 40,000 years old and might be the remains of someone's delicious meal'.

In 1981 UNESCO recognized the historical and geomorphological value of Lake Mungo and the surrounding area called the Willandra Lakes Region, by listing it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under both cultural and natural criteria. It was one of the first Australian sites to be recognized in this way.

Rolling Down The Sand Dune

In order to access this area, one must have aboriginal permission. We accomplished this by taking a National Park tour. After we reached the top of the dunes, our guide gave us free reign to wander and encouraged the kids in the group to roll down the quite steep sand dunes. It was great fun watching them and I sort of wished I trusted my bones enough to give it a go!

An Ageless Pastime?

As I watched the kids making sand angels I wondered how ageless this pastime might be.

Because we spent two days at Mungo and six days on the road, there is more to our story - both within the park and of our 1,000 mile journey travelling to and from Canberra. I fear I may lose you if I continue now, as this entry has been top heavy with some of the science and history behind this very special place.  I hope you will stay with me next time for more about our other experiences. I promise you it will contain a good tale about mud!

Wednesday July 3rd to Sunday July 7th, 2024 - From Sydney to Canberra

 

Wattles in Bloom

The wattle (a type of acacia) is a native plant here and is represented on the Australian 'national crest'. It was delightful to see them in bloom, but confusing, as spring is still a ways off. It seems they are thinking it is late winter - so hope they don't get surprised before real spring arrives.

Mosman Beach, Sydney

My last outing in Sydney with my aunt was a trip to Balmoral Beach in Mosman. It's a suburb on the north shore, midway between the city and the 'Heads', where Sydney Harbor opens out onto the ocean.

Bottom of the Harbor - 'Best Fish and Chips in Sydney'

The 'Fish and Chip Shop' is standard fare in Australian towns and cities, so how could I refuse to eat at this one at Balmoral Beach that bills itself as the best fish and chip shop in Sydney. We were able to get our fish grilled, but the fatty saltiness of chips is impossible to 'make healthier'. I got a very nice piece of barramundi and enjoyed every last chip (which to my American friends means French fries!) I'll spare you the photo of my meal!

Active Marina - Note the Manly Ferry in the background

There were many boats moored off the shore. It was fun to see one of the iconic Sydney ferries tootling back and forth in the background - still bearing the yellow and green coloring that has been in use for years. There are now faster boats as well - hydrofoils - but the good old ferries still travel around the harbor. This one was probably headed back to Circular Quay from Manly, which is a famous beach on the Pacific Ocean.

Looking Toward The Heads from Rocky Point Island, Balmoral Beach

There was a lovely little island, Rocky Point Island connected to the shore with a footbridge. From it you could see the narrow opening of Sydney Harbor into the Pacific Ocean - the gap that they call Sydney Heads. The cliff you see off in the distance is the North Head - the South Head is blocked by the curved hill you see in front of it. The narrow heads led into this lovely, deep harbor and the English settlers decided it provided a lot of security for their ships. So although they originally stopped in Botany Bay to the South of here, they quickly moved north to this place because of the protection offered here.

Sandstone Shoreline From Rocky Point Island, Balmoral

I enjoy seeing rocks again - living in Florida, they are few and far between - especially such a nice sandstone showing the diagonal lines of cross-sedimentation.

Just a Little Evening Light at Rocky Point Island, Balmoral

I'm told that Mum used to bring us to this beach often when we were children, but I have no recollection of that. It was a very lovely way to spend an afternoon, even in the winter cold. The gum trees (eucalypts) show up clearly in the light and must have been a strong contrast from the soft English vegetation the first European settlers were accustomed to.

Kookaburra Waits for the Bus, Too

As we were waiting for the bus, we saw a kookaburra sitting on bench on the other side of the road. He was a lovely and nostalgic sight for me. He did no laughing, though.

Bus to Canberra - Three and a Half Hour Drive

Friday morning saw me down near the Central Train station to catch a bus to Canberra, where I was meeting up with one of my sisters. I'm embarrassed to admit that I spent three days in Sydney and didn't manage to get a photo of the bridge or the Opera House! Oh, well - you'll have to Google those and trust me hat this really IS Sydney! The bus 'station' was tiny, just a little office with two buses sitting outside!

Parliament House from Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, Canberra

Canberra is the capital of Australia, in an area called the Australian Capital Territory. Similar to Washington DC, it is not a state. This Parliament House is the second one built - opened in 1988. The grass that you see here is the roof of the building, which is built into the sides of the hill. The idea behind the design is to represent that the government is not imposed on the people - rather than having a building that towers over the Australian population - the fact that the people can walk over the roof is seen as extending an invitation for all to participate in democracy and are able to stand above the government.

Construction on the Waterfront at Lake Burley Griffin

Construction of Canberra began in 1913, just over a decade after  Australia's federation in 1901 (Independence from England). Since I lived here in the 70's, it has exploded in size and construction or reconstruction is still taking place in many areas. This lake is named after Canberra's designer, who was an architect from Chicago - Walter Burley Griffin. The waterfront is being completely re-designed now.

Sunrise Over the Brindabella Range

It's surrounded by hills and mountain ranges can be seen off in the distance to the south. They are not part of the southern alps, but can be dusted with snow at times. At the present, in spite of people complaining of the cold, there is no snow visible.

Gums Trees on Black Mountain.

As I drove down in the bus, seeing the gum trees, soft colors, and the rolling hills brought my affection for this landscape to the fore of my heart. An afternoon walk through the forest on the side of Black Mountain, which is in the middle of Canberra, showed the ghostly shapes of the gums in the evening light. I can't tell you what variety they are - there are over 600 species!

I Think It's Lovely! What About You?

I rather Liked This Old Tree Root - Probably Had Bee Burned

As you can tell, I loved the colors, shapes and textures of the vegetation we saw on our walk.

The Entrance to Lake George Winery

Before I let you go, I want to share briefly some of the highlights of the visit my sister and I made to Lake George Winery today. It is about 40 minutes north of Canberra, and is a special place in my heart, as it was established by my father and mother in the early 1970's.

The Plaque Honoring Mum and Dad is still There

It has been bought and sold a few times since Dad sold it in the 1990's, and my mother died here of a massive heart attack in 1988, so it was pleasing to see that the plaque recognizing them is still there.

Westering Restaurant and Tasting Room at Lake George Winery

There is now a very nice restaurant on the property. I was pleased to see it retains the name 'Westering' - Dad had chosen that name for the vineyard as he knew it was going to be his last big venture. He started it when he had retired from the Australian Navy at the age of 55 and built it from the ground up. It was always his idea, but Mum would often work alongside him, although she always refused to move out to live on the property.

Posing With the Chef - Praneel, From Fiji

We had a very delicious meal, and of course some wine. We started with  Fijian Ceviche, called Kokoda, which was made with Port Augusta yellowtail Kingfish and served with freshly fried taro chips which were yum! I then had a very superb roasted White Pyrenees lamb rack and my sister had Butter Chicken Coq au Vin. I was so pleased with the meal, I indulged myself by posing with the chef - a young man from Fiji who had most interesting tattoos.

The Little House That Dad Built

There are now a number of new buildings on the property, but we think this is the little house that Dad built so that he didn't have to come into town every night. The siding is new, but he designed it with four rooms with walls that run diagonally across from corner to corner. I don't know if it is still like that. It's now called Olive Cottage and is one of the spaces that it rented out to visitors.

https://www.lakegeorgewinery.com.au/stay/

Looking Toward the Restaurant With Lake George in the Background

As it is winter, we didn't have the sight of lovely rows of green vines, but it was remarkable to know that Mum and Dad had planted many of the vines we could see.

One of the Tiny Houses a Lake George Winery

The new owners have put up a number of tiny houses to provide accommodation. This one was my favorite, as it was named after my mother - Rae Hood!

The View From Little Rae

Mum would have loved sitting by this firepit in front of Little Rae, with a glass of wine in her hand and without anyone telling her what to do. 

Sunset Over Lake Burley Griffin

You know I have many more photos I would love to share with you and I have even resisted sharing food photos. Although many aspects of Australian life resemble many ways of America, here is no denying that the vegetation is quite different, and I hope you have enjoyed my attempt to share some of that with you.

Thanks for joining me.

Sunday June 30th to Wednesday July 3rd, 2024 - Back to the Beginning of it All (For Me)

 Before my trip to Quebec with Robyn, in December last year, I had started planning for a long overdue trip back to Australia. The success of our brief, sojourn in Canada led me to hope that my back issues were sufficiently resolved and that the long flight over the Pacific Ocean might be possible for me again. While my severe sciatic pain had been resolved by the surgery I had last year, ongoing, mild neurological issues, arthritic knees and a hip injury have given me many moments of uncertainty and fear of re-injury to my bones from the many hours of sitting entailed in such a journey.

Art Work, Atlanta Airport
(Evokes my hope for success, shadowed by fears of more back pain.)

Buoyed by regular walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates, massage, acupuncture, anti-inflammatories and gabapentin, I departed Fernandina Beach feeling fit and in a triumphant mood. (God, that's a long list - this  business of self care has become very much more involved than it used to be!)

My confidence was also helped by finding that Air New Zealand's innovations have led to their offering a lay down option in economy, which is called the Economy Sky Couch. I knew this would really help me manage the risks of the long flight. It also added that delicious spirit of adventure for me to try something new.

Air New Zealand Economy Sky Couch

A woman in the row in front of me commented - 'You lucked out, girl', when she saw my lovely space of the entire row, but it was actually a privilege I had purchased through the Air New Zealand ticketing platform. I was able to get all three seats, and they had footrests that folded up to widen the bed. the white 'blanket' you see here is actually a mattress pad to help soften the surface underneath, and there is a special seat belt adaptor (which they call a cuddle belt), to allow me to stay buckled in without twisting. Instead of me blathering on about it, here's a more detailed review.  https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/skycouch-air-new-zealand/. 

Art Work, Auckland Airport

The down-side of this decision, was that it made the journey longer, as I had to go through Auckland, but I felt it was well worth it. Once settled (with the mattress pad underneath me!), I was able to almost stretch out completely. Getting out for bathroom trips was accomplished by scooting down and twisting around the aisle armrest. I was glad for all that yoga. There's no denying that it is not as smooth as Business Class, but at a third of the price, I was happy and slept quite well.

In spite of the ability to lay down for the long portion of the flight, I was relieved to step out into the Australian sunshine after about 36 hours of travel. 

Welcoming and Brief Sign at Sydney Airport

The Aussies do like to abbreviate words, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that the sign doesn't spell out the whole word!

Greeting Sign in the Local Aboriginal Language

This nearby sign gave a more comprehensive greeting in the local aboriginal language. Gamay stands for Botany Bay (where the airport is located) and the indigenous people who lived here were called Gamayngal. I like this recognition of pre-colonial times and appreciate these attempts to extend my knowledge of history and remind me of the existence of much older times.

Walk to St. Leonards

Although rain was expected, it was actually a lovely day. I chose my AirBNB in Narenmburm, on the North Shore of Sydney, to facilitate visits with an aunt, who lives in Cammeray. As I left the airport around 10 am, I still had a few hours to fill before I could check in. Fortunately I was able to drop my bags there and then wander a bit, which is my favorite way to visit a new place.

Modern Space, St. Leonards

I chose to head for St Leonards, which was familiar to me from the days in the 1950's and 60's when we took the train to town, or drove through on the Pacific Highway. I also wanted to find the train station and learn how to get tickets. (Turns out it's very simple - just swipe your Mastercard or Visa as you get on and off - tap on, tap off. The same applies o the bus, which is very convenient for a short stay - no need to buy special 'cards'.)

Public Art, St, Leonards

Obviously it has changed a lot over the years! I thought the area has developed into a lovely urban space with pleasing designs, green spaces and art work. Eateries were plentiful and culturally varied with a strong offering of many different Asian cuisines. Certainly different from the days we drove through, over five decades ago (oh, my! Am I really that old!).

Remnants of Fall Leaves - Walking Back to AirBNB

Reminders that it is winter were evident. Sunny seats in a park were popular, the clothing people wore had them bundled up and an occasional chill wind swung by. I was happy to get back to check into my AirBNB, pull out more warm clothing and head off to meet my aunt for a lovely dinner and catch up.

Crow's Nest - A Crazy Bird in a Tree

Often when we drove through this area, Mom would mention that I had been born in Crow's Nest, so my morning adventure on Wednesday found me heading off to find my birthplace. Thanks to locating my birth record in the Sydney Morning Herald (isn't the internet wonderful!), I headed toward Crow's Nest to find the Mater Hospital. 

Crazy Bird Near the New Mater Hospital

I giggled when I saw that crazy bird in the flimsy tree. Might this have been the 'crow' after which the suburb was named! At first I thought it was a turkey vulture, but found out later, it is a brush turkey, a native bird which is protected. It was busy eating berries off the twigs - easier to find I guess, without all the leaves in the way. It actually was right by the hospital where I was born, but I didn't realize that when I saw it. 

Crow's Nest Hotel - Likely Dad Had a Beer or two Here!

My first search was to find the apartment where Mum and Dad had lived in the early 1950's. It was 1/26 Hazelbank Road, which was not far from this old pub. I never really cared for knowing that I was born in a place with such an unfortunate name - I mean, really! Crow's Nest! 

26 Hazelbank Road, Wollstonecraft, NSW

I found the apartment building, which Mum and Dad would have called 'flats'. On this overcast day, it seemed rather dark and dim - happily there was a brief glimpse of sunshine for me, to brighten up the vegetation.

Flat 1

Mum and Dad lived in this ground floor apartment, which I'm sure Mum appreciated, as getting the prams and strollers of the day up and down the stairs would have been a nightmare! Dad was often out at sea during this time (He was in the Australian Navy). He had just been home for a while, but four days after he left in January 1951, Mum went into labor (or labour, as they say here).

Rae Hood and Alwynne, 1951

I think this photo of Mum holding me, was taken in front of the flat they lived in.

The Old Mater Hospital, 15 Sinclair Street, Wollstonecraft, NSW

When she went into labor, Mum's Auntie Dulce was summoned to clean the flat and look after my older sister, Nadine. A friend drove her here, even though it was just a few blocks away from the flat. I had imagined she might have walked, but her letter to Dad suggested that things felt petty imminent! It is now an apartment building, but the signs of its previous function were evident. It was a 'Misericordia' hospital, run by The Sister's of Mercy. In her letter to Dad, when Mum had referred to the 'sisters'. I always thought that was the way they referred to nurses in those days, but now I realize if was because she was in a Catholic Hospital.

Bas Relief Above the Entrance to The Old Mater Hospital

I especially liked this bas relief above the doorway into the hospital. I'd like to think it was about the nuns caring for the babies born there, but as it was not solely a birth center, it is more likely to be the Madonna and Child. I loved to see it so nicely preserved.

The New Mater Hospital

The old hospital is now apartments, and a new hospital stands across the street. It is a private hospital and a relative told me it is one of the best in Sydney, which is nice to know. I really enjoyed diving back to the earliest of my days as I had never re-visited these places before.

And so I leave you for now, dear readers, with this photo of the Mater Garden which was just around the corner from the flat. I suspect Nadine and I were brought here often for playing and our 'sunbaths'. It was a lovely exploration for me around my 'pre-memory' days. 

Thank you for joining me on this non-touristy blog.