Willandra Lakes Region

　　The Willandra Lakes Region is situated in the Murray River basin in the southwestern part of New South Wales. It is diagonally divided from the southwest to the northeast by Balranald Shire and Wentworth Shire. The central area has an elevation of 70 meters. This region is under the jurisdiction of the New South Wales state government. Originally, only a small portion was legally protected — the Mungo National Park, established in 1979 under the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Act of 1974. On March 27, 1986, the Australian Government Gazette No. 51 announced an expansion of the national park’s size from 13,000 hectares to its current 27,847 hectares. In 1981, the Willandra Lakes Region was inscribed on the World Heritage List, initially covering 600,000 hectares, later reduced to 240,000 hectares in 1995, including the Mungo National Park.

　　Geography

　　The Willandra Lakes Region consists of a series of dry lakes formed in the early Tertiary period. Marine incursions in the Murray River basin led to the deposition of calcareous sand, limestone, and marl. During the Quaternary period, the area was covered by sand and dune fields. The landscape is characterized by elongated sand dunes (see accompanying illustration), oriented from west to east, reflecting the prevailing wind patterns. Although stabilized by vegetation, these dunes were reactivated between approximately 18,000 and 16,000 years ago before being stabilized again by regrowth.

　　Distributaries

　　The well-known Willandra Billabong Creek, a tributary of the Lachlan River, flows into the interconnected lake basins. The basin consists of six major lakes and several smaller depressions, ranging in size from small ponds to Lake Garnpung, which spans 500 square kilometers and reaches a depth of 10 meters. The crescent-shaped sand dunes on the eastern side of the lakes are believed to have formed at least 40,000 to around 15,000 years ago, including an intense period of dune activity between 18,000 and 16,000 years ago.

　　Ecological Environment

　　Due to the semi-arid climate with low rainfall, the vegetation is composed of semi-arid plant communities, characterized by sparse shrubs, grasslands, and woodlands scattered across sand plains and dunes. The main tree species are eucalyptus and shrubs, along with white cypress-pine and pigface growing beneath them. Around 20 mammal species inhabit the area, including red kangaroos, grey kangaroos, echidnas, and various species of bats.

　　Historical Sites

　　This area contains numerous cultural heritage sites. Through radiometric dating, it has been determined that humans have inhabited the region for at least 30,000 years. Archaeological discoveries include a 26,000-year-old cremation site, a 30,000-year-old ochre burial site, remains of megafauna, as well as grinding stones and mortars used for processing wild grasses over 18,000 years ago.

　　Scientific research has been conducted into the cultural heritage and resource value of this area. It is currently jointly managed by the state’s Department of Lands and Water, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.