Munga Thirri - The Lost Oasis Expedition
The Mike Smith Memorial Expedition
Wangkangurru/Yarluyandi elder and ADE Scientific Advisor Don Rowlands OAM and the late Professor Mike Smith AM
discuss the use of stone axes found during the 2018 survey season.
These expeditions stimulated his interest in megafauna, mikiri, grindstone quarries, pituri trade, engraved archaic faces and stone arrangements, all topics on which he subsequently published.
Read more about Mike's distinguished career here.
Professor Mike Smith AM FAHA FSA was a former director of Australian Desert Expeditions, and a member of our Scientific Advisory Panel since our foundation.
He led the research team on our inaugural Arid Rivers Expedition in 2007 and was our resident archaeologist until his passing in October 2022. He had a distinguished career in desert archaeology, which spanned decades.
One of Mike’s great pleasures was walking the desert with our string of camels, alongside other eminent researchers, and Mike described the experience of ambling across the dunes in his poetic way as
‘like an eclectic walking symposium
of desert knowledge.'
In 2018, our Chief Scientist, Dr. Max Tischler, led a groundbreaking survey that departed from the South Australia/Queensland border and headed south towards the Warburton River floodplain. It was our first survey in this area, and the trip turned out to be extraordinary.
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Since 2016, we have been aligning many of our surveys with the known mikiri (native wells) of the Simpson Desert. Over the years, we’ve ‘relocated’ one well, extensively documented another significant site, and, during the 2018 survey, discovered two more. Remarkably, these two ‘new’ mikiri were not recorded in any written accounts and were also unknown to the local Wangkangurru people.
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In 2019, we visited the northernmost of these two mikiri, an extensive site of great cultural and historical importance. Plans to survey the smaller southern site in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were repeatedly postponed due to COVID-19 border restrictions. Then in 2023 and 2024, extensive flooding in the eastern Simpson blocked our access to the desert. Now, in 2025, we finally have the opportunity to complete this significant expedition.
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Expedition Objectives
The primary aim of this expedition is to locate further evidence of habitation along the route between the two mikiri and to document the southern site. Interestingly, mikiri themselves are not always the most revealing aspect of a survey. Often, the approaches to these areas hold the most compelling habitation clues, and we will follow a direct walking route between the two sites to maximize the chances of uncovering additional artifacts.
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Our expedition team includes a young Wangkangurru woman embarking on her first journey to this part of the desert. Leading the research team is Dr. Philip Jones, Senior Curator of Anthropology at the South Australian Museum. Dr. Jones, who played a key role in relocating a ‘lost mikiri’ in 1995, is fascinated by the discovery of these new sites.
Also joining the team is ADE resident ornithologist Boyd Wykes, contributing to the expedition’s ecological studies. The journey is supported by a crew of four experienced cameleers, led by Andrew Harper. With 29 years of desert trekking and more than 30,000 kilometres of walking under his belt, Andrew is one of Australia’s most accomplished desert explorers.
You can read the scientific paper from the 2019 northern mikiri survey here.
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Why This Expedition Is Special
This expedition represents a groundbreaking moment in our 18-year history: walking between two major, previously unknown habitation sites in the heart of Munga-Thirri. These sites were likely vital gathering and living places, intricately linked to the broader songlines of the region, spiritual and cultural pathways that have shaped the lives and traditions of the Wangkangurru people for thousands of years.
Though accompanied by pack camels, we will walk in the same manner as countless generations before us, attuned to the rhythms of the land. This slow, deliberate approach allows us to engage deeply with the landscape, observing the intricate details and uncovering the stories it holds. This traditional Slow Travel approach, which first led us to these sites in 2018, continues to be the most profound and respectful way to explore and document Munga-Thirri.
But this is more than just a desert journey. This expedition is a step into Australia’s national story, contributing to a richer understanding of our shared history, and offering a rare opportunity to uncover how people lived and thrived in one of the world’s harshest environments.
We believe the insights gained during this expedition will deepen our appreciation of the resourcefulness of the Wangkangurru people, whose legacy is embedded in this landscape.
Don Rowlands highlights the remains of a low earthen wall constructed across a claypan. This feature allowed water to collect and remain for extended periods, attracting larger animals to the area and enabling plant life to establish and thrive. Looking on is Mike Smith and Max Tischler. Photo taken during the 2019 Expedition to the northern mikiri.
Professor Mike Smith and fellow archaeologist Duncan Wright examine minute bone fragments during the 2019 Expedition, watched by members of the expedition party.
On this expedition, you will walk alongside our team of pack camels, accompanied by four cameleers who will serve as your crew for the duration of the journey. While technically not “tour guides,” our cameleers are, first and foremost, seasoned stockmen and women. They are experts in handling and working with camels, with a wealth of experience navigating the desert and deep knowledge of its flora and fauna. They also hold profound respect for the First Nations people who call this remarkable landscape home.
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Over the course of a 5 to 6 hour walking day (including breaks) you will cover approximately 8 to 10 kilometres. Our pace is set by the camels, as they navigate the dunes and other natural features of the landscape. The camels carry all your personal gear, leaving you with just your daypack and a healthy attitude. Everything else is best left behind!
This is a truly authentic Australian desert experience. Camels are the perfect cross-country vehicle, allowing us to travel far from roads and tracks, with no vehicle back-up. Campsites are selected based on the availability of camel feed, and we never camp in the same place twice.
As Australia’s only trekking company specialising in remote desert travel, you won’t encounter other trekking groups. Unlike the 4WD tracks that can become virtual highways of vehicles in winter, we journey into a silent desert landscape, far removed from the crowds.
All of our trips are active participation experiences. The cameleers will gladly involve you in loading and unloading the camels as much as you’d like to participate, with the level of involvement decided on a day-to-day basis.
Your assistance is also warmly welcomed with various camp chores at the end of the day, such as collecting firewood or helping to shepherd the camels as they graze. These tasks are part of the unique experience and foster a deeper connection to the rhythm of desert life.
What's included
4WD transfers to/from Birdsville to the Simpson Desert
All camping equipment - swags, stools, tents. You bring your own sleeping bag and eating utensils
All meals, though we do not provide snacks
LOTS of space...
RFDS Medical Chest and emergency communications equipment
Crew of 4 to 5 cameleers
Desert Silence!
Trekking with an environmentally aware responsible business
(A detailed Expedition Information Guide is sent to you when you book)
What's not included
Pre and post trek airfares and accommodation. You are responsible for arranging your travel to/from Birdsville and any accommodation. We can help organise this for you
Please look at this page How To Get To Birdsville
What else is recommended?
Travel Insurance. You have the option to arrange your own travel insurance, or you can contact us for a quote.
Where are we trekking?
We do not wish to disclose the location of these sensitive sites. All we can say is that the expedition will take place in the shaded area of the Simpson Desert, South Australia.
