The top layer is composed largely of wind blown clay particles heaped up on the lunettes during periods of fluctuating water levels, before the lakes finally dried up.

[4] Surveyor George Boyle White explored the Darling in 1833 in the region from the Peel River junction to the region of Fort Bourke and was followed two years later by Major Thomas Mitchell, the Surveyor-General of New South Wales, who was intent on showing whether or not the Darling entered the Murray as Sturt had surmised.

[4] Soon after the Murrumbidgee/Murray route became well-used by stockman overlanding sheep and cattle to the colony of South Australia which had been established in 1836.

The first pastoral station in the lower Darling region was that taken up by George Hobler in 1845 on the Lachlan, a run which he called Paika.

[4] The great boon to the pastoral occupation of the Darling and the back blocks was the navigation of the Murray and its tributaries from South Australia.

[4] Back blocks could not be worked profitably until expensive improvements had been made in the way of fencing and the provision of watering facilities.

It took them some time to appreciate the fragile nature of the environment and that the district could not accommodate the stock numbers which could be carried further to the east and that good seasons were the exception rather than the rule.

[4] The Royal Commissions in 1900 were quick to appreciate "that much too favourable a view was taken on the carrying capacity of the country...It is only during the late years, apparently, that pastoralists seemed to have opened their eyes to the grave risks they ran in allowing the edible shrubs to be eaten by stock in the belief that they would re-appear in abundance after every rain".

The government recognised the problem and in 1883 it passed the Rabbit Nuisance Act which, among other things, offered bonuses to professional trappers for scalps.

[4] The Royal Commissioners of 1901 looked with sympathy on the pastoralists of the Western Division and recommended similar treatment from the Government.

The telephone was introduced in 1924 to connect Arumpo, Pan Ban and Mulurulu and removed a great deal of the sense of isolation in the region.

[4] A significant change after World War One was the working of owner-occupiers on smaller stations rather than managers for some large absentee lessee.

The lucky ones were Ewan and Nagus Cameron who took up Mungo Station because they acquired a homestead, a shearing shed and shearer's quarters, together with other buildings.

Albert Barnes started the Mungo Gymkhana which after three years was laid out on the southern rim of the lake on Joulni Station.

[4] Willandra Lakes is a fossil waterway developed during the Pleistocene Geological Period when the climate was considerably colder and wetter than in the same area today.

These large lakes were predominantly filled, covering 1,088 square kilometres, but now carry water only during peak or flood discharges.

It was part of the history of inland exploration (Burke and Wills expedition) and of the development of the pastoral industry in western New South Wales.

The area contains a relict lake system whose sediments, geomorphology and soils contain an outstanding record of low-altitude, non-glaciated Pleistocene landscape.

The area is the site of discovery of the Mungo Geomagnetic Excursion, one of the most recent major changes of the Earth's magnetic field.

[4] Willandra Lakes was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.

It was part of the history of inland exploration (Burke and Wills expedition) and of the development of the pastoral industry in western New South Wales.

[7][4] The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

The area contains a relict lake system whose sediments, geomorphology and soils contain an outstanding record of low-altitude, non-glaciated Pleistocene landscape.

[7][4] The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

The area is the site of discovery of the Mungo Geomagnetic Excursion, one of the most recent major changes of the earth's magnetic field.

The area is representative of south-east Australian lunettes or dry lake beds with wind blown dunes on their eastern margins and flat floors.