ULURU- KATA TJUTA

ULURU 

Uluru alias Ayers Rock alias 'The Rock', it is here in the 'red centre' we find one of Australia's most recognisable icons and the worlds largest monolith is found in the national park with the same name. 

Uluru National park was established as Ayers Rock/Mount Olga National park back in 1958 but was renamed to it's current name in 1977. 1985 the land was officially returned to is traditional owners, the region's Aborigines, who since then leased the area to the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service. In 1987 the park was placed on the World Heritage List.

Uluru rises 348 m (1,142 ft) from the desert floor and has a circumference of about 9 km (6 mi). Made of arkosic sandstone, Uluru is spectacular at sunset, when its colour appears to change from red to purple. About 70 million years ago it was an island in a large lake. 

Visitors can make tough 1.6km walk to the top or take a walking tour around the rock with an aboriginal guide , learning about its fascinating with the Uluru people and its importance in dreamtime legend. From the top you have a view of the endless flat desert landscape with two other monoliths, Mt Conner on one horizon and the Olgas on the other. There are also many caves to explore at the base of the rock and if you happen to see the rock on a rare rainy day, you will see hundreds of waterfalls that flow down the unusual groves in the side of the monolith.

Kata Tjuta National Park

Besides Uluru, the park is known for a grouping of rock domes found about 50km from the famous monolith, known as Kata Tjutu, or the Olgas. The domes at Kata Tjuta are made of conglomerate rock. The tallest is about 546 m (1,791 ft) high. 

The group consists of more than 30 red rocks, with the highest point being the 1,072 meter (3,516 ft) high Mount Olga.

Uluru and Kata Tjuta have been an important focus of the spiritual life of the region's Aborigines for thousands of years. Aboriginal rock paintings cover the walls of many of the caves of Uluru. Both sites also figure in Aboriginal legend.

150 different kinds of birds, 22 mammals, many reptiles and frogs, and nearly 400 plant species have been recorded in the Park area. Visitors are unfortunately only likely to see a few of these. However, those who take time to walk the tracks will be rewarded by seeing fascinating dryland plants and animals which cope with this environment.