About Munga-Thirri

Munga-Thirri National Park.

Photo credit: John Augusteyn © Queensland Government

Park features

At one million hectares, Munga-Thirri National Park is Queensland's largest protected area. At Poeppels Corner the park meets South Australia and the Northern Territory. The entire Simpson Desert covers more than 17 million hectares of Central Australia.

Across the Simpson, parallel dunes rising to 30-40m run south-east to north-west, the dominant wind direction when they formed during the Pleistocene epoch about 80,000 years ago. Spaced about 1km apart, dunes can extend 200km.

Bare windswept crests stand atop slopes secured by spinifex and cane grass. In the easterly and westerly areas of the desert, the flat plains between dunes can be wind-polished gibber pebbles, here at Munga-Thirri the plains are usually shallow sands or mineral encrusted claypans. These plains surprisingly support open shrub lands of acacias, hakeas and grevilleas.

Read more about the nature, culture and history of Central West Queensland parks.

Looking after the park

Everything in Munga-Thirri National Park is protected, including plants, animals and heritage sites and artefacts. Please appreciate, respect and help care for Munga-Thirri's outstanding natural and cultural values by leaving things as you find them, and encouraging others to do the same.

Please read looking after parks in Central West Queensland.

Park management

The department is responsible for managing the Munga-Thirri National Park, which has unique attributes. It is managed to conserve the park's natural condition and protect its cultural resources and values.

Tourism information links

Wirrarri Visitor Information Centre
www.thediamantina.com.au
29 Burt Street, Birdsville, Diamantina Area
ph (07) 4564 2000
email info@diamantina.qld.gov.au

Diamantina Shire Council
www.diamantina.qld.gov.au
17 Herbert Street, Bedourie
ph (07) 4746 1600
fax (07) 4746 1272
email admin@diamantina.qld.gov.au

Or visit www.visitbirdsville.com

For Desert Parks Passes contact:

National Parks and Wildlife Service, South Australia www.parks.sa.gov.au
PO Box 78, Port Augusta SA 5700
ph (08) 8648 5300
email desertparks@sa.gov.au

For a complete list of Desert Parks Pass agents, visit the website above.

Desert Parks Passes are also available in Birdsville from:

Birdsville Fuel Service 
9 Adelaide Street, Birdsville
ph (07) 4656 3236
fax (07) 4656 3263

The Birdsville Roadhouse
Frew Street, Birdsville
ph (07) 4636 3226

Wirrarri Visitor Information Centre (details above)

For information on road conditions contact:

Queensland Transport
Queensland Traffic
Phone 13 19 40 for 24-hour road reports.

For tourism information for all regions in Queensland see Queensland Holidays.