Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
There are national park
camping grounds
(
www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
; sites $21)
in the eastern block at
Horseshoe Bend and Ackle Bend, both on the Wimmera River south of Dimboola; and
south of Kiata. They have toilets, picnic tables and fireplaces. Or you can bush camp in
the more remote central and western blocks; see the rangers first.
Little Desert
Nature Lodge
( 03-5391 5232;
www.littledesertlodge.com.au
;
camp sites $25, bunkhouse d $44, B&B r $125; )
On
the northern edge of the desert, 16km south of Nhill, this well-equipped bush retreat is a
superb base for exploring the park. With a spacious camping ground, bunkhouse, comfort-
able en suite motel-style rooms and a restaurant, there's something for everyone. A key at-
traction here is the tour of the mallee-fowl aviary ($15), where you can see these rare
birds in a breeding program; otherwise, take the mallee-fowl sanctuary tour ($130) and a
night spotlighting walk ($15).
CAMPGROUND, RESORT
$
Information
13 19 63;
www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
; Nursery Rd)
Off the Western Hwy south
Little Desert Park Office
(
of Dimboola.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Dimboola
Located on the eastern edge of the Little Desert, beside the Wimmera River, Dimboola is
a classic country town made famous by Jack Hibberd's play
Dimboola,
and the subse-
quent 1979 John Duigan film of the same name about a country wedding. The historic
Dimboola Hotel was gutted by fire in 2003 and has since lain dormant. The park entrance
is about 4km south of town on a sealed road, but from then on it's gravel. There are nu-
merous easily accessed walks around the flats area along the river.
Beside the Western Hwy, 19km northwest of Dimboola, the
Pink Lake
is a colourful salt
lake with a bright pink-purple hue.
Ebeneezer Aboriginal Mission
, near Antwerp, 18km north of Dimboola, was established by
German missionaries in 1859 and ceased operation in 1904. You can wander around the
well-preserved mission buildings and cemetery.
