AYERS ROCK (ULURU)

13^th May, 2015

On our way again and we leave South Australia behind and cross into the Northern Territory.

We camp at Erldunda Roadhouse for the night before turning west onto the Lasseter Highway towards Ayers Rock (Uluru in the local aboriginal dialect). About 130 kilometres into our trip we spot Mount Conner.

Mount Conner

This large table-top mountain is often mistaken for Ayers Rock on first sighting and also has great significance to the local Aboriginal people. Another 100 kilometres further west and we start to catch tantalising glimpses of 'The Rock' through the scrub and in front of us the 'Olgas” (Kata Tjuta) loom on the horizon. 

Following Barry and Fay - Olgas on the horizon

We check into the Ayers Rock Campground and take a walk up to a viewing area for a look at 'The Rock'.

Ayers Rock from the campground

Although we are still 20 kilometres away this sandstone monolith towers over the surrounding sandy scrubland. Ayers Rock is 348 metres high, and 3.6 kilometres long and if that's not impressive enough, two thirds of the rock lies beneath the sand. There are numerous sacred aboriginal sites around its base. The campground and resort accommodation is situated outside the National Park and we catch the shuttle bus to the Town Square to see what is there. We find a couple of gift shops, a clothes shop, a newsagent, a supermarket, a cafe and the information centre. After some window shopping we hop back on the shuttle to the campground and then walk up to the viewing area to see sunset on 'The Rock'.

Wok, Roger, Barry, Gwen & Fay

You may be able to tell from the way everybody is rugged up that it is pretty cold. Although it is sunny the wind is icy and daytime temperatures are hovering between 17 and 19 degrees centigrade. Night time temperatures are dropping as low as 6 degrees centigrade. Brrrrrr … Boy are we glad we have doonas. The next day we hopped into our cars and drove into the National Park, stopping for another photo op at the sunset viewing area.

Wok and the Jeep at 'The Rock'

We continued to the base of 'The Rock' to check out what walking trails were open. Although it is possible to climb Ayers Rock the local aboriginal people ask that visitors respect Aboriginal law by not climbing. The climb is often closed due to the weather or for cultural reasons and we are not surprised to see that the climb is closed due to the strong winds.

Wok (along with our two teenage children) made the climb back in 1986 when it was the 'done thing'. Today we are quite happy to trek along the base and investigate some of the caves and gorges. Embedded in the rock just to the right of the climb are some plaques which have been placed by family members of a few of the people who have died while climbing 'The Rock'.

Memorial plaques on 'The Rock'

Some have fallen, others have died from heart attacks. The climb is very strenuous and not to be taken lightly. We set off along the Mala Walk at the base of 'The Rock'

The gang on the Mala Walk at 'The Rock'

and although we sometimes have no phone connection in these outback areas Roger and Gwen get an unexpected call from their daughter Rhonda.

Roger and Gwen chat to Rhonda at 'The Rock'

We continue around the base to Kantju Gorge passing aboriginal sacred sites

Wok at 'The Rock'

Barry and Fay .... Bell Cave?

Fay, Roger, Wok, Barry & Gwen check out an overhang

and just enjoying the picturesque scenery.

Roger and Barry take a rest at Kantju Gorge - love that bench they are sitting on

We return to our cars and drive to the Anangu Cultural Centre which gives us a better understanding of the the local aboriginal traditions and natural wonders of this World Heritage Area. It's late afternoon so before heading back to the campground we find a parking spot at the Sunset Viewing Area and wait patiently (with a few hundred other sunset viewers) for the sun to set and the colours to change on 'The Rock'.

People even climbed onto their vehicles for that perfect photo of 'Sunset on the Rock'

Some people took photos of 'The Rock'  -  others took photos of the Sunset

The following photos were taken over a period of about forty minutes.

A great way to finish the day - watching the changing colours of 'The Rock'