Mungeranie, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mungeranie South Australia
Mungeranie Location in South Australia
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACDT (UTC+10:30)
Location	204 km (127 mi) N of Maree
LGA(s)	Pastoral Unincorporated Area
State electorate(s)	Stuart
Federal Division(s)	Grey

Mungeranie is a small but important place in the Australian Outback. It's made up of the Mungeranie Hotel and Mungeranie Station. This homestead is located on the famous Birdsville Track in northeastern South Australia.

Mungeranie is about 204 kilometres (127 mi) north of Marree, South Australia and 313 kilometres (194 mi) south of Birdsville, Queensland. The hotel is the only place to get fuel and supplies along the Birdsville Track. The name "Mungeranie" comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "big ugly face."

Mungeranie: A Desert Oasis

Mungeranie sits on the edge of several deserts, including the Sturt Stony, Tirari, Simpson, and Strzelecki Deserts. It's nestled next to a creek called the Derwent Creek.

Water and Wildlife

Even though it's in the desert, Mungeranie has a special feature: a permanent waterhole. This waterhole is fed by an artesian bore. This bore brings water up from the Great Artesian Basin, which is a huge underground water source.

The constant water has created a local wetlands area. This wetland is a home for many different animals. More than 110 types of birds live here! The area usually gets about 130.6 mm (5.14 in) of rain each year.

A Glimpse into History

Mungeranie has a long history as a stopping point for travelers.

Early Days and Development

In 1886, a man named Richard Forbes Sullivan opened a depot and a hotel at this spot. It was a vital place to supply shepherds, drovers (people who move cattle), and other travelers on the Birdsville Track.

Two years later, in 1888, William Crombie set up a nearby area. He used it to rest horses and water cattle. By 1889, Robert Rowe took over the store. In 1901, the government drilled a bore to ensure a permanent water supply for the growing settlement.

Growing Community

As Mungeranie became more important, more services were added. In 1903, a cattle station and a police station were established. This helped keep order and support the cattle industry.

A school was built in 1915, showing that families were living in the area. In 1920, Mungeranie even became the main office for the Great Northern League. This group wanted to create a new, separate state called Brachina. The cattle station was also once part of larger properties called Cowarie and Kanowna runs.