Location
|
|
The largest monolith in the world, Uluru sits pretty in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, located to the west of Alice Springs City .It is located close to the center of Australia in the lands of Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara. The Uluru was named Ayers Rock in honor of the Australian Premier Sir Henry Ayers. The rocky formations of Uluru stem out tall and large, over 340 meters above the ground level amidst the landscape majorly consisting of plains. Uluru is still considered to be one of the most sacred places by the Aboriginals, therefore the Anangus have taken upon them to manage this legacy. The Anagus consider themselves to be the direct descendants of their ancestors. The tribes are said to have lived here since about 22, 000 years back in time. It's a beautiful place set in a vast expanse of 132 566 hectares, listed now in the World Heritage because of its cultural and natural significance. |
Exploring Uluru
Uluru is a photographer's dream, as the rock changes color as the time passes by. In the evening, it adorns the shades of auburn, ochre, yellows and orange. For those interested in knowing about the place and culture in all seriousness, a visit to Yulara Information Center is a must, as it has to offer some exhaustive information.
To the North of Uluru lie 36 monoliths known as the Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). The highest of them is the Mount Olga, which is a majestic sight to look at. The Olgas were believed to be a single monolith much higher than the Uluru, but standing the tests of time, facing erosions for over a million years now, it is now divided into 36 monoliths of smaller sizes. The Olgas are also famous for their rock engravings. |
|
Heritage
To experience the feel of Uluru and imbue your senses with the Aboriginal experience, take a walk around. A word of caution before you take the plunge to climb away to the top: climbing the rock isn't encouraged, as it is regarded a sacred site. The place is filled with the evidence of presence of Aboriginals, with their art. You must visit Maruku Arts and Crafts Complex. Not only it showcases the artifacts but it also has on sale a formidable range of the locally made art. There are hundreds of paintings around these caves, located around the base of rock. The paintings were being done till as recently as the early 20th century.
|
