The name of this park is misleading, since it is neither small nor desert-like. It is a region of sandy plains covered with mallee scrub vegetation, with a variety of sand-loving plants and large numbers of birds. Here too can be seen the nest-mounds of the mallee fowl, in which incubation is aided by the warmth of decomposing vegetable matter.
Address: Parks Victoria Little Desert National Park Office, Box 240, Dimboola, VIC 3414, Australia
Tips: Best time to visit: spring and autumn.
In summer it is very hot.
Access on Western Highway, turning off at Nhill. From Horsham via Natimuk.
The little settlement of Jeparit (pop. 480), situated on Lake Hindmarsh, was the birthplace in 1894 of Robert Menzies, prime minister of Australia for many years. There is a monument to him in the town.
On Lake Hindmarsh are good sandy bathing beaches and many water birds. South of Jeparit is Wimmera Mallee Pioneers Museum (old agricultural machinery). 20km south is Antwerp, near which is the Ebenezer mission station, founded in 1859 by Czech missionaries and restored some years ago by the National Trust. 44km north of Jeparit is Wyperfeld National Park.
Warracknabeal (pop. 2800) is the center of a huge wheat-growing area.
Features of interest are the Historical Centre, with an exhibition on the history of the region, a number of old buildings (water tower, jail, post office, courthouse, hotels) and the Northwestern Agricultural Machinery Museum.
Some 30km north of the town can be seen sections of the dingo fence, extending from Swan Hill to the South Australian border, which was constructed in 1883 to keep out these dangerous wild dogs.
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