Editing Munga-Thirri National Park (section)

==History==
[[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal peoples]] have lived in the region for generations. They survived in the dry conditions by digging [[soakage|soaks]] in the depressions between dunes, some of which were {{convert|7|m}} deep.

[[David Lindsay (explorer)|David Lindsay]] was the first non-Aboriginal person to cross the central and southern areas of the Simpson Desert in 1886.<ref name="naq"/>  In 1936 [[Ted Colson]] crossed the full length of the desert.<ref name="naq"/>

A national park in the desert was first suggested in 1965 by the [[National Parks Association of Queensland]].<ref name="herqldout">{{Cite book |title=Heritage Trails of the Queensland Outback |last=Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland) |author-link=Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland) |year=2002 |publisher=State of Queensland |isbn=0-7345-1040-3 |pages=133 }}</ref> The park was extended northwards in 1991. The expansion included arid lands with a more diverse range of vegetation.<ref name="herqldout"/>

{{as of|July 2019}}, the Head Ranger of the park is [[Aboriginal elder|Elder]] of the [[Wangkangurru]] people and [[traditional owner]] Don Rowlands {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}}, residing in [[Birdsville]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/am/ancient-oasis-revealing-secrets-after-more-than-a-century/11303530|title=Ancient oasis reveals secrets after more than a century|last=Ben|first=Deacon|date=13 July 2019|website=ABC Radio|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812064315/https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/am/ancient-oasis-revealing-secrets-after-more-than-a-century/11303530|archive-date=12 August 2019|url-status=live|access-date=12 August 2019}}</ref>