In October, 2006, I went on a quick trip to far western New South Wales. While there, I spent a couple of nights at Mutawintji National Park. This park is located north of the Barrier Highway between Wilcannia and Broken Hill. Mutawintji is a beautiful park that protects rugged gorges some of which have permanent water. The park is home to a number of relict populations of animals more typical of the centre. Examples include Stimson's Python (
Antaresia stimsoni), a recently discovered population of Centralian Rock Skink (
Egernia margaretae), Freckled Monitor (
Varanus tristis tristis), Tawny Rock-Dragon (
Ctenophorus decresii) and New South Wales' only population of the endangered Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby. Mutawintji is also home to 12 species of geckos according to a sign at the visitor's centre. An excellent online paper about the reptiles of the park may be found at
http://www.rzsnsw.org.au/AZJun05%20t...wan&Foster.pdf.
The park has a good campground complete with showers. The trail systems are well marked.
Here are a few habitat shots.
... the gorge country, with water in places:
... dry creek bed
... mulga flats
I had good success while at Mutawintji and took a number of photos.
Gibber Gecko (
Diplodactylus byrnei). This was the first Gibber Gecko that I had ever encountered. It really was a nicely patterned gecko.
... cleaning its eye
Box-patterned Gecko (
Diplodactylus steindachneri)
Gehyra variegata 
Smooth Knob-tailed Gecko (
Nephrurus levis levis). A tick is visible on its chin. I found this gecko by chance when I was turning the car around on a mulga flat:
Beaked Gecko (
Rhynchoedura ornata). These were a common species.
Northern Spiny-tailed Gecko (
Strophurus ciliaris)
Thick-tailed Gecko (
Underwoodisaurus [Nephrurus] milii). This race seems more brightly coloured than those from the Warrumbungles.
... a juvenile
Ctenotus sp. Does anyone recognize this species? It was large and lived along a dry creek bed. I think that it may be a very pale Eastern Striped Skink (
C. robustus) but am not certain. It was shy and this was the only pic that I was able to take.
Cryptoblepharus sp. 
Tree Skink (
Egernia striolata)
Morethia boulengeri 
Shingleback (
Tiliqua rugosa)
... near Wilcannia
... Mutawintji
Tawny Rock Dragon (
Ctenophorus decresii). This species has a limited distribution in New South Wale. Tawny Dragons were a beautiful species that were common on rocky outcrops in the park. Here was the typical habitat where these dragons could be seen.
... female in the foreground, male in the background
... nicely marked male
Central Bearded Dragon (
Pogona vitticeps)
Tympanocryptis tetraporiphora 
Gould's Monitor (
Varanus gouldii)
Curl Snake (
Suta suta). This was the only snake that I found in the park.
It would be nice to see this park when it was not so dry and also when the feral goat population had been reduced. These animals were present in plague proportions and even strolled through the campground in the morning. They must do an incredible amount of damage to the native plants.
Regards,
David
