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Uluru, also
known as Ayers Rock
Welcome to Aboriginal
land
Pukulngalya yanama, Ananguku Ngurakutu (welcome
greeting in Yankunytjatjara)
Pukulpa Pitjama, Ananguku Ngurakutu (welcome
greeting in Pitjantjatjara)
The traditional
land owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park,
are direct descendants of the beings who created
our lands during the Tjukurpa (Creation Time).
We have always been here. We call ourselves Anangu,
and would like you to use that term for us.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta
National Park is a world-class visitor destination
and a key part of Australia's iconic Red Centre.
This living cultural landscape is the physical
and metaphoric heart of Australia, and was one
of the first areas to be identified as a National
Landscape.
Ayres rock Uluru,
also referred to as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone
rock formation in the southern part of the Northern
Territory, central Australia. It lies 335 km (208
mi) south west of the nearest large town, Alice
Springs; 450 km (280 mi) by road. Kata Tjuta (The
Olgas) and Uluru are the two major features of
the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park. Uluru is
sacred to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara,
the Aboriginal people of the area.
It has many springs,
waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings.
Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site. The
local Pitjantjatjara people call the landmark
Uluru . This word has no particular meaning in
their dialect, also known as Pitjantjatjara, but
it is also used as a local family name by the
senior Traditional Owners of Uluru.
On 19 July 1873,
the surveyor William Gosse visited Uluru and named
it Ayers Rock in honour of the then-Chief Secretary
of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers. Since then,
both names have been used, although Ayers Rock
was the most common name used by outsiders until
recently. In 1993, a dual naming policy was adopted
that allowed official names that consist of both
the traditional Aboriginal name and the English
name.
On 15 December
1993, it was renamed "Ayers Rock/Uluru" and became
the first officially dual-named feature in the
Northern Territory. The order of the dual names
was officially reversed to "Uluru/Ayers Rock"
on 6 November 2002 following a request from the
Regional Tourism Association in Alice Springs.
Uluru is one of
Australia's most recognisable natural icons. The
world-renowned sandstone formation stands 348
m (1,142 ft) high (863 m/2,831 ft above sea level)
with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures
9.4 km (5.8 mi) in circumference.
Uluru is notable
for appearing to change colour as the different
light strikes it at different times of the day
and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable
sight when it briefly glows red. Although rainfall
is uncommon in this semiarid area, during wet
periods the rock acquires a silvery-grey colour,
with streaks of black algae forming on the areas
that serve as channels for water flow. Uluru is
an inselberg, literally "island mountain", an
isolated remnant left after the slow erosion of
an original mountain range. Uluru is also often
referred to as a monolith, although this is a
somewhat ambiguous term because of its multiple
meanings, and thus a word generally avoided by
geologists.
The strata at Uluru
are nearly vertical, dipping to the south west
at 85°, and have an exposed thickness of at least
2,400 m (7,900 ft). The strata dip below the surrounding
plain and no doubt extend well beyond Uluru in
the subsurface, but the extent is not known.
Cultural Centre
When you visit Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park,
you should ensure that you explore the Cultural
Centre first. You will enjoy exploring the Park
much more if you understand Anangu culture and
this very special cultural and natural environment.
At the Cultural
Centre you can get an introduction to Tjukurpa
(law, knowledge, religion, philosophy), Anangu
art, Anangu way of life (traditional and current),
history, languages, wildlife and joint management
of the Park. The displays feature photo collages,
oral history sound panels, Pitjantjatjara language
learning interactives, soundscapes, videos and
artefacts. There are bush tucker sessions, plants
walks and cultural sessions for visitors to experience.
Cultural Centre notes are provided in Pitjantjatjara,
English, Italian, Japanese, German and French.
A touch wall for visually impaired people ensures
that the messages are accessible to everyone.
Daily schedules vary, so ask at the Cultural Centre
Information Desk. Park
Fees
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