What is Ayers Rock? What is Ayers Rock? What is Ayers Rock? Ayers Rock is one of Australia’s most famous tourist icons. But what is Ayers Rock? Ayers Rock comprises of a single piece of rock, almost 10kms in circumference and jutting out of the Northern Territory Outback. There is no other known geological feature in the world exactly like it, so it’s certainly considered a natural wonder and attracts the crowds to prove it. For decades, tourists have been making the long journey to this remote site trying to find out just exactly what is Ayers Rock all about. Thousands of visitors travel some 460kms southwest of Alice Springs to see this remarkable lump of orange/brown sandstone that uniquely rises 350m from the flat plains of spinifex grass. Only the nearby Kata Tjuta, also known as The Olgas, offer anything similar in the region. Unlike Ayers Rock, they comprise of several sandstone mounds, which further add to the attraction of the area.

Ayers Rock is also known as Uluru, the name given to it by the local Pitjantjatjara Aboriginal tribe long before surveyor William Gosse named it in honour of South Australia Chief Secretary Henry Ayers in 1873. Today, the Aborigines own and administer the land on which the rock stands and, since they attach spiritual significance to it, they prefer visitors not to climb it. A trip to Ayers Rock usually involves a five-hour drive from Alice Springs, in addition to a flight or an even longer drive, and therefore most people stay overnight. This is usually done in campsites or local resorts. One of the highlights of a visit is experiencing the changing colours of the rock at sunset and sunrise. At midday, temperatures can top 35°C during the summer months, so it’s best to plan to be indoors at the local Yulara resort town at this time. Ayers Rock is a World Heritage site, and one of several worthwhile attractions near Alice Springs, including Kings Canyon and a number of intriguing landscapes. An air strip makes it possible to fly directly to the site.

Map of Australia's Red Centre Uluru / Ayers Rock Uluru Experiences Experiences at Uluru + Kata Tjuta Most visitors would have seen photos featuring Uluru, but nothing prepares you for the experience of being exposed to this expansive living cultural landscape. Experience many wonderful features of this region, including Uluru or Ayers Rock, and Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas. Uluru Facts - Uluru (Ayers Rock) Australia Uluru Facts - Uluru (Ayers Rock) Australia Longitude 131 Uluru Facts Uluru is probably Australia’s best-known natural landmark. The ancient monolith is pretty impressive close up and boasts intriguing statistics. Here are some facts on Uluru: FACT: Uluru is better known as Ayers Rock; it named by William Gosse in 1873 after Sir Henry Ayers. Uluru is the Aboriginal and official name. FACT: The rock was created over some 600 million years, and the Aborigines have been in the area for the last 10,000 years. It originally sat at the bottom of a sea, but today stands 348m above ground.

One of the most startling Uluru facts however, is that some 2.5kms of its bulk is underground. FACT: Uluru lies west of the Simpson Desert, not far from the ‘Red Centre’ of Australia, about 335kms southwest of Alice Springs (as the crow flies) and 463kms by road. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t the biggest monolith in the world; Mount Augustus in Western Australia holds that title More Uluru Facts FACT: Other Uluru Facts: the rock is about 3.6kms long and 1.9kms wide, with a circumference of 9.4kms. The climb to the top is 1.6kms, much of which is at a steep angle, while the summit is generally flat. The surface is made up of valleys, ridges, caves and weird shapes that were created through erosion over millions of years. Surface oxidation of its iron content gives the would-be grey Uluru a striking orange-red hue. FACT: The nearby Kata Tjuta (or Olgas) are said to originate from a similar time.

They are thought to have originally been one massive monolith, as opposed to the 36 separate domes they are today – one of the lesser known Uluru facts. They are a part of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which was founded in 1950 as ‘Ayers Rock-Mount Olga National Park’, changing to its current title in 1995. The Aboriginals own the land, although the Australian government currently holds a 99-year lease. How big is Uluru? Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park Local Expert: Find Things To Do in Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park Explore thousands of activities with free cancellation and no added fees. Design your experience with airport transfers, excursions, day tours & more. Get an insider's look in what to book before you travel. Top things to do in Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park #1 Uluru Sunrise Tour Experience an unforgettable sunrise at Uluru (Ayers Rock). Warm up with a tea or coffee and settle in on the viewing platform for an incredible view of the s...

Free Cancellation Australian attraction formerly known as Ayers Rock - crossword puzzle clues & answers - Dan Word «Let me solve it for you» Australian attraction formerly known as Ayers Rock Today's crossword puzzle clue is a general knowledge one: Australian attraction formerly known as Ayers Rock. We will try to find the right answer to this particular crossword clue. Here are the possible solutions for "Australian attraction formerly known as Ayers Rock" clue. It was last seen in British general knowledge crossword. We have 1 possible answer in our database. Possible answer: Ayers Rock, Uluru - Crystalinks Ayers Rock Ayers Rock is also known by its Aboriginal name 'Uluru'. It is a sacred part of Aboriginal creation mythology, or dreamtime - reality being a dream. Uluru is considered one of the great wonders of the world and one of Australia's most recognizable natural icons. Uluru is a large magnetic mound large not unlike Silbury Hill in England. It is located on a major planetary grid point much like the Great Pyramid in Egypt. Ayers Rock is a large sandstone rock formation in central Australia, in the Northern Territory.

It is located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, 350 km southwest of Alice Springs at 25 degrees 20' 41" S 131 degrees 01' 57" E. It is the second-largest monolith in the world (after Mount Augustus, also in Australia), more than 318 m (986 ft) high and 8 km (5 miles) around. It also extends 2.5 km (1.5 miles) into the ground. It was described by explorer Ernest Giles in 1872 as "the remarkable pebble".' 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 remarkable feature of Uluru is its homogeneity and lack of jointing and parting at bedding surfaces, leading to the lack of development of scree slopes and soil. These characteristics led to its survival, while the surrounding rocks were eroded.

For the purpose of mapping and describing the geological history of the area, geologists refer to the rock strata making up Uluru as the Mutitjulu Arkose, and it is one of many sedimentary formations filling the Amadeus Basin. Close Up Rain Age and Origin The Mutitjulu Arkose is believed to be of about the same age as the conglomerate at Kata Tjuta, and to have a similar origin despite the rock type being different, but it is younger than the rocks exposed to the east at Mount Conner, and unrelated to them. The strata at Uluru are nearly vertical, dipping to the south west at 85 degrees, 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. The rock was originally sand, deposited as part of an extensive alluvial fan that extended out from the ancestors of the Musgrave, Mann and Petermann Ranges to the south and west, but separate from a nearby fan that deposited the sand, pebbles and cobbles that now make up Kata Tjuta.

The similar mineral composition of the Mutitjulu Arkose and the granite ranges to the south is now explained. The ancestors of the ranges to the south were once much larger than the eroded remnants we see today. They were thrust up during a mountain building episode referred to as the Petermann Orogeny that took place in late Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian times (550-530 Ma), and thus the Mutitjulu Arkose is believed to have been deposited at about the same time. The arkose sandstone which makes up the formation is composed of grains that show little sorting based on grain size, exhibit very little rounding and the feldspars in the rock are relatively fresh in appearance. This lack of sorting and grain rounding is typical of arkosic sandstones and is indicative of relatively rapid erosion from the granites of the growing mountains to the south. The layers of sand were nearly horizontal when deposited, but were later tilted to their near vertical position during a later episode of mountain building, possibly the Alice Springs Orogeny of Palaeozoic age (400-300 Ma).

Despite current estimates of the age of the geological formations that comprise Uluru, however, the arkose sandstone which makes up the formation is composed of grains that are many different sizes and are jagged, and the feldspars in the rock are fresh and shiny. Flood geologists argue that this indicates a comparatively fast deposit, on the order of only a few years or less. They state that if the arkose grains had been transported more slowly they would be more rounded and evenly sorted, and the feldspars would have turned to clay in the intervening years. History Archaeological findings to the east and west indicate that humans settled in the area more than 10,000 years ago. Europeans arrived in the Australian Western Desert in the 1870s. Uluru and Kata Tjuta were first mapped by Europeans in 1872 during the expeditionary period made possible by the construction of the Australian Overland Telegraph Line. In separate expeditions, Ernest Giles and William Gosse were the first European explorers to this area.

While exploring the area in 1872, Giles sighted Kata Tjuta from a location near Kings Canyon and called it Mount Olga, while the following year Gosse observed Uluru and named it Ayers Rock. Further explorations followed with the aim of establishing the possibilities of the area for pastoralism. In the late 1800s, pastoralists attempted to establish themselves in areas adjoining the South western/Petermann Reserve and interaction between Anangu and white people became more frequent and more violent. Due to the effects of grazing and drought, bush food stores became depleted. Competition for these resources created conflict between the two groups, resulting in more frequent police patrols. Later, during the depression in the 1930s, Anangu became involved in dingo scalping with 'doggers' who introduced Anangu to European foods and ways. Between 1918 and 1921, large adjoining areas of South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory were declared as Aboriginal reserves, sanctuaries for nomadic people who had virtually no contact with European settlers.

In 1920, part of Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park was declared an Aboriginal Reserve (commonly known as the South-Western or Petermann Reserve) by the Australian government under the Aboriginals Ordinance. The first tourists arrived in the Uluru area in 1936. Beginning in the 1940s, permanent European settlement of the area for reasons of the Aboriginal welfare policy and to help promote tourism of Uluru. This increased tourism prompted the formation of the first vehicular tracks in 1948 and tour bus services began early in the following decade. In 1958, the area that would become the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park was excised from the Petermann Reserve; it was placed under the management of the Northern Territory Reserves Board and named the Ayers Rock - Mount Olga National Park. The first ranger was Bill Harney, a well-recognised central Australian figure. By 1959, the first motel leases had been granted and Eddie Connellan had constructed an airstrip close to the northern side of Uluru.

On 26 October 1985, the Australian government returned ownership of Uluru to the local Pitjantjatjara Aborigines, with one of the conditions being that the Anangu would lease it back to the National Parks and Wildlife agency for 99 years and that it would be jointly managed. The Aboriginal community of Mutitjulu, population of approximately 300, is located near the western end of Uluru. From Uluru it is 17 km (11 mi) by road to the tourist town of Yulara, population 3,000, which is situated just outside of the national park. Kata Tjuta National Park is owned and run by the local Aboriginals. The Australian government handed ownership of the land back to the Aboriginals some years ago. Uluru has many caves, some decorated with rock art depicting Dreamtime myths dating back thousands of years. The Caves The caves in Uluru can be both engaging and enlightening. To truly experience the power of Ayers Rock, your journey should be more than a few hours. Take your time to absorb the history of the springs, caves, and ancient paintings throughout the formation and don't worry about running your business .

The first Aboriginal settlers arrived there more than 10,000 years ago and created a historical journey that would be difficult to transverse overnight so the recommendation for any tourists traveling to the formation has always been to allow more time to absorb the area without being distracted. Mount Urulu Turned Violet Uluru went from red to violet on June 1, 2004, waterfalls on the rocks causing the color change. Ayers Rock was named for the Premier of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers. It extends down over 3 and a half miles beneath the surface. Approximately 500 million years ago it was part of the ocean floor at the center of Australia. Some report that there is a light source emanating at various times of the year. Most likely this can be explained scientifically. The Aborigines believe that there it is hollow below ground, and that there is an energy source that they call 'Tjukurpa' the dream time. The term Tjukurpa is also used to refer to the record of all activities of a particular ancestral being from the very beginning of his or her travels to their end.

Anangu know that the area around Ayers Rock (Mount Uluru) is inhabited by dozens of ancestral 'beings' whose activities are recorded at many other sites. At each site, the events that took place can be recounted, whether those events were of significance or whether the ancestral being just rested at a certain place before going on. Usually, there is a physical feature of some form at each ancestral site which represents both the activities of the ancestral being at the time of its formation and the living presence of Tjukurpa within that physical feature today. For the Australian Aboriginal people, that physical feature, whatever its form or appearance, animate or inanimate, is the Tjukurpa. It may be a rock, a sand hill, a grove of trees, a cave. For all of these, the creative essence remains forever within the physical form or appearance. Around Mount Uluru there are many examples of ancestral sites. The Anangu explanations of these sites and of the formation of Mount Uluru itself derive from the Tjukurpa. Most of these explanations are in the realm of secret information and are not disclosed to Piranypa, the non-Aborigines.

'The Dreaming' is not a creation myth, per se, but a myth of formation. The world existed, but was featureless. Giant semi-human beings, resembling plants or animals, rose up from the plains where they had been slumbering for countless ages. These ancient heroes roamed the land aimlessly. As they wandered around, they carried out the tasks that the present Aborigines do today including camping, making fires, digging for water, fighting each other, and performing ceremonies. When the heroes became tired of doing these things, Dreamtime came to an end. Wherever the creators had been active, some form of natural feature now marks the place. The creators made everything with which the aborigines are in daily contact and from which they gain their living. The heroes also established laws that govern all aspects, both secular and sacred, of the tribes. Dreamtime was in the past, but it is the Aborigines present religion and culture. The saying, 'As it was done in the Dreamtime, so it must be done today,' dominates all aspects of aboriginal behavior. Because of their beliefs in 'the dreaming,' ceremonies and rituals are held, stories are told, pictures are drawn, and daily life is defined.

In order to understand the religion of the Aborigines, one must have a basic understanding of the organization of the tribes. All men and women belong to small groups, called clans. Each clan posses a distinct body of spiritual properties, or sacred sites. A clan may have several sacred sites that they claim, and the area surrounded by the connection of these sites forms the clan's estate. Clans are linked by common religious traditions, intermarriage, shared dialects, and overlapping foraging rights. Stone monument made by the heroic ancestors Clans people of the crow believe they are descended from the Dreamtime's crow spirit who became a man. Each clan has a totem. 'Totemism is a view of nature and life, of the universe and man, which colors and influences the Aborigines' social groupings and mythologies, inspires their rituals and links them to the past. It unites them with nature's activities and species in a bond of mutual life-giving, and imparts confidence amidst the vicissitudes of life'. The totem provides a tangible expression of a man's relationship to his deities. Everything in the Aboriginal world contains an essence or spirit that had its beginnings in the Dreamtime.

Each person descended from one of these spirits and possessed some of its life force. The spirit it descended from is the person's totem. Images of totems make-up a large part of Aboriginal art. They were painted on cave walls, which we title rock art, drawn on the interiors of their huts, drawn on their bodies, and carved in wood. Totemic spirits are celebrated in ceremonies and rituals, and played a prominent part in Aboriginal myth. Myths, Legends and Aboriginal Traditions According to the Anangu traditional landowners of Uluru: "The world was once a featureless place. None of the places we know existed until creator beings, in the forms of people, plants and animals, traveled widely across the land. Then, in a process of creation and destruction, they formed the landscape as we know it today. Anangu land is still inhabited by the spirits of dozens of these ancestral creator beings which are referred to as Tjukuritja or Waparitja." There are a number of unauthenticated accounts of the Aboriginal ancestral stories for the origins of Uluru and its many cracks and fissures.

One such account, taken from Robert Layton's (1989) ULURU: An Aboriginal history of Ayers Rock, reads as follows: "Uluru (Ayers Rock) was built up during the creation period by two boys who played in the mud after rain. When they had finished their game they travelled south to Wiputa ..Fighting together, the two boys made their way to the table topped Mount Conner, on top of which their bodies are preserved as boulders" (Page 5) Two other accounts are given in Norbert Brockman's (1997) Encyclopedia of Sacred Places. The first tells of serpent beings who waged many wars around Uluru, scarring the rock. The second tells of two tribes of ancestral spirits who were invited to a feast, but were distracted by the beautiful Sleepy Lizard Women and did not show up. In response, the angry hosts sang evil into a mud sculpture that came to life as the dingo. There followed a great battle, which ended in the deaths of the leaders of both tribes. The earth itself rose up in grief at the bloodshed, becoming Uluru. The Commwealth Department of Environment's webpage advises: "Many ..

Tjukurpa such as Kalaya (Emu), Liru (poisonous snake), Lungkata (blue tongue lizard), Luunpa (kingfisher) and Tjintir-tjintirpa (willie wagtail) travel through Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Other Tjukurpa affect only one specific area. "Kuniya, the woma python, lived in the rocks at Uluru where she fought the Liru, the poisonous snake." It is sometimes reported that those who take rocks from the formation will be cursed and suffer misfortune. There have been many instances where people who removed such rocks attempted to mail them back to various agencies in an attempt to remove the perceived curse. In the News ... Flooding rains bring rare waterfalls to Australia's Uluru AFP - January 16, 2010 Heavy rains which flooded parts of Australia's vast desert centre have brought rare waterfalls spilling from the iconic monolith Uluru, or Ayers Rocks, officials said Saturday.

The deluge, which swept across much of the continent's east after a tropical cyclone last month, prompted a wave of green in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, home to the giant red rock. Uluru typically receives little more than 12 inches of rain a year, and January is its hottest, driest month, with temperatures topping to 45 degrees Celsius (113 F). Fireball at Ayers Rock NASA - June 28, 2008 A weekend trip for astrophotography in central Australia can result in gorgeous skyscapes. In this example recorded in March of 2006, the center of our Milky Way Galaxy rises over planet Earth's horizon and the large sandstone formation called Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock. After setting up two cameras to automatically image this celestial scene in a series of exposures, one through a wide-angle and the other through a telephoto lens, photographer Joseph Brimacombe briefly turned his back to set up other equipment. To his surprise, the ground around him suddenly lit up with the brilliant flash of a fireball meteor. To his delight, both cameras captured the bright meteor streak.

Highlighted in the telephoto view (inset), the fireball trail shines through cloud banks, just left of Ayers Rock. Satellite Photo [Click and Drag] Face Book: Ben's Journey to Kaja Kutja - Journey into the the Valley of the Winds Uluru Uluru Fast Facts Location: Located around 440 km south-west of Alice Springs in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in central Australia. Attraction Type: Sandstone Rock and Cave. Significance: World Heritage Site. Best time to visit: May through September How to Reach: Ayers Rock Airport is just 15 km away of the rock. Direct flights are available from Sydney, Perth, Cairns and Alice Springs. You can also fly to Alice Springs and take a car to reach here, only if you love driving. Take Stuart Highway (87) from there and drive towards south for about 200 km to reach Erldunda Roadhouse. Turn right and take Lasseter Highway and drive about 245 km to reach Ayers Rock. If you are coming down from South, you can reach here from Coober Pedy after a drive of 550 km.

Nearest Airport: Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ), also known as Connellan Airport. If you cherish a love for natural beauty and want to witness it from close quarters, then pay a visit to Uluru in Central Australia. Uluru is also known as the Ayers Rock. It is best recognized for its majestic rock formation in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. This island mountain rises up to 350 meters from the surrounding plain. Defined as the red-rusty beauty, the Uluru Sandstone rock is a delightful sightseeing spot for all the tourists. While visiting this site, you can also enjoy the charm of another rock formation of the region known as Kata Tjuta or The Olgas. Climate and Seasons of Uluru The park Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park where this majestic rock formation is found witnesses an average temperature of 37.8Â°C during summers and 4.7Â°C during winters. The extreme temperature of the park that has been recorded so far during summer season was near about 45Â°C and during winter night -5Â°C. According to the native people, the park features 5 different seasons.

These seasons are categorized into Piriyakutu Mai Wiyaringkupai, Itjanu, Wanitjunkupai and Wari. Uluru Attractions Uluru is known for its sandstone rock and cave. But the place is also known for its aboriginal cultural significance and a lot more. In fact, besides exploring the amazing landscapes of the place, you can also go for various aboriginal tours, where you can learn a lot about the local flora, fauna and bush-tucker. When you visit Uluru in Central Australia, make sure that you go there at the time of sunset or sunrise. The experience will be wonderful as the color of the rock changes depending on the weather conditions. From grey-red to shining orange, the rock transforms into different attractive colors. As you start exploring Uluru, you must visit the major attractions of the place. Visit the attractions like Ayers Rock Observatory, Curtin Springs Station, Giles Track, Maruku Arts, Mt Ebenezer Roadbouse, Mulgara Gallery, and Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre etc. Besides, you can also explore the beauty of various caves, water holes and springs located in the nearby region.

Don't forget to relish the art of ancient paintings still found in rock caves. You can explore Uluru in as many ways as you wish. Take a Harley Davidson motorcycle, or go for a camel back tour — the excitement would be unbounded. Trip on light aircraft or helicopter is also hugely popular. Following are some of the popular tours which are arranged regularly: Anangu Tours Dot Painting and Kuniya Sunset Tour Desert Tracks The Center through the eyes of the Aboriginals Peregrine Adventures Uluru and Outback Trails Things to do in Uluru One of the best things to do in Uluru is to go for climbing. However, make sure that you are fit enough to survive the desert conditions. If you don't find adventure an interesting thing for you, then opt for photography and excursion tours. The beautiful sights and the serene ambience of the place make an ideal choice for the photographers. Capture the majestic charm of the rock in your camera and take back home to bask in the pleasant experience of the tour. Besides, you can also take up an excursion tour to The Mala Walk point in Uluru. This is an interesting cultural site of the Mala people.

However, the most exciting thing to do in Uluru is perhaps exploring its beauty from the vast blue sky. Flights tours have become a crazy in Uluru as hundreds of tourists, especially those who have got a carving for adventure, go for these tours. You can choose any of the following tours for some amazing views of Uluru: Alice Springs Helicopters Ayers Rock Heli-Express (Half Day) Ayers Rock Heli-Express (Full Day) Ayers Rock Heli-Express (Overnight) West MacDonnell Ranges, Uluru-Kata Tjuta 1 Day Air Safari Ayers Rock Helicopters Extended Uluru and Kata Tjuta Lizard Safaris Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Lake Amadeus and Kings Canyon Uluru Only Three Giants (Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Mt Conner) Gosse Bluff Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Lake Amadeus DirectAir Tours (Red Centre) Uluru Day Tour Accommodation You have got a range of accommodation options to choose from while visiting Uluru. But remember, there is no accommodation option available inside the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Camping is not allowed inside the park as well.

However, you can find a number of hotels in Ayers Rock Resort. You can choose from the following Uluru hotels: Desert Gardens Hotel 10 Top Tourist Attractions in Australia – Touropia Travel Experts 10 Top Tourist Attractions in Australia Last updated on November 3, 2016 in Australia 1 Comment Australia is a vast country that is just slightly smaller than the continental United States. So it probably shouldn’t be surprising that a country this large would also be home to some of the most unusual destinations and creatures in the world. Among the many iconic sites and landmarks you can visit in Australia are Ayers Rock and the Sydney Opera House. While these spots are very popular with tourists, there are a number of tourist attractions in Australia that aren’t as well-known but are just as impressive. See Also flickr/ Ianz Cable Beach is located in Broome in Western Australia and is considered by some to be this state’s most popular destination. It is a stunning beach, known for its white sands, beautiful sunsets and the brilliant blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Cable Beach is also famous for its camel rides on the beach.

Those who prefer motorized transportation can choose to cross the sands in a four-wheel-drive vehicle instead. 9Fraser Island flickr/ Phillie Casablanca This beautiful island, which is located in Queensland, boasts rainforests, sand dunes, more than 100 freshwater lakes and pretty colored sand cliffs. Fraser Island, which is just a short ferry trip from Hervey Bay, is also considered to be the largest sand island in the world. This island boasts another unusual claim to fame — its dingoes are considered to be some of the most pure in all of Australia, as they have not had as many chances to crossbreed with dogs as their mainland cousins have had. 8Great Ocean Road flickr/ andreweland The Great Ocean Road, which is located in Victoria, is considered to be one of the most beautiful drives in Australia. This 243 km (151 mile) drive starts in Torquay, which is located about 100 km (60 miles) from Melbourne, and ends in Allansford.

As it travels along Victoria’s beautiful southwest coastline, the Great Ocean Road passes by some of the most stunning scenery in Australia, including The Twelve Apostles, which are pretty limestone stack formations that rise out of the ocean near Port Campbell National Park. There are also a number of places along the Great Ocean Road where you can spot some of Australia’s famous wildlife, including kangaroos, fur seals and emus. 7Purnululu National Park flickr/ ciamabue Located in Western Australia, Purnululu National Park is home to one of Australia’s most unique tourist attractions known as the Bungle Bungle Range — striking orange-and-black-striped sandstone domes that resemble huge beehives. Surprisingly, the site was known only to local Aboriginal Australians and farmers until recently. In fact, it only became famous after a documentary was made of the area in 1983. The park is also home to Cathedral Gorge, an amazing natural amphitheater. Because Purnululu National Park is located in a fairly remote area, visitors to its two campsites must pack in and out all of their essential supplies.

6Blue Mountains National Park The Blue Mountains National Park is located in New South Wales, approximately 80 km (50 miles) west of Sydney. Its proximity to the biggest city in Australia has made this scenic park a popular day trip for both tourists and locals alike. The park is probably best known for the Three Sisters, a rock formation that towers 900 meter (3000 foot) above the Jamison Valley. The Blue Mountains National Park features miles of trails for hikers and mountain bikers, and it is also a popular natural playground for adventurers who enjoy adrenaline sports such as rock climbing and abseiling. Visitors who prefer a more tame way to enjoy the Blue Mountains National Park can climb aboard the glass-roofed carriages of the Katoomba Scenic Railway, which is the steepest passenger railway in the world. 5Whitsunday Islands This stunning collection of 74 islands lies in the middle of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, making them a perfect jumping off spot for travelers looking to explore the amazing and colorful marine life that live in the waters of this area.

Although most of the Whitsunday Islands are deserted, seven do have outstanding resorts on them, including the world-famous One&Only on Hayman Island, a favorite of celebrities and the rich and famous. One of the most beautiful of the Whitsunday Islands is Whitehaven Beach, which boasts blinding white sands. These islands are the perfect choice for travelers seeking a blissful vacation on a lovely tropical island or for those who enjoy hours of snorkeling and scuba diving. 4Kakadu National Park wikipedia/ Nigel Malone Located in Australia’s Northern Territory, about three hours north of Darwin, Kakadu is the country’s largest national park. There is a lot to see in Kakadu National Park, including a large concentration of Aboriginal rock art; some of which are estimated to be up to 20,000 years old. This park is also home to many different species of wildlife, including wallabies, dingoes and crocodiles. In addition, Kakadu National Park, which is home to one-third of Australia’s bird species, is a birdwatcher’s dream.

3Uluru/Ayers Rock flickr/ Corey Leopold One of the world’s largest monoliths, Ayers Rock is also one of the top tourist attractions in Australia. Located within the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park of the Northern Territory, this large sandstone formation stands more than 340 meters (1,100 feet) high. One of the rock’s peculiarities is that it changes colors dramatically at sunset from terra cotta to blue, violet and red. The local Aboriginal tribe, known as Anangu, call the rock Uluru and regard it as a sacred site. 2Great Barrier Reef One of the top destinations for underwater explorers and scuba divers is the world’s largest barrier reef system, famously known as the Great Barrier Reef. Located in the Coral Sea, the Great Barrier Reef encompasses a huge area of more than 2,900 coral reefs and hundreds of islands and cays. The best way to explore the Reef is by one of the numerous boat cruises that run along the northern coast of Queensland. The town of Cairns is regarded as the main gateway to the Reef, but other towns also offer cruise operations.

1Sydney Opera House flickr/ Pavel Sigarteu Regarded as a 20th century architectural masterpiece, the Sydney Opera House was designed and built by architect, Jørn Utzon, to reflect the image of a huge sailing ship. It houses multiple venues that together host more than 1,500 performances each year. Surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the Sydney Harbour and the Royal Botanic Gardens, the famous Opera House in Sydney is one of Australia’s most famous landmarks. Ayers Rock(Uluru or The Rock), Australia Tourist Attractions and Travel HOME > OCEANIA > Ayers Rock(Uluru or The Rock), Australia Tourist Attractions and Travel Ayers Rock is also known by its Aboriginal name 'Uluru'. Uluru is considered once of the great wonders of the world. It is one of Australia's most recognisable natural icons. Ayers Rock is a large magnetic mound large not unlike Silbury Hill in England. It is located on a major planetary grid point much like the Great Pyramid in Egypt. Ayers Rock travel, Australia Tourist Attractions Uluru (also Ayers Rock or The Rock) is a large rock formation in central Australia, in the Northern Territory.

It is located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, 350 km southwest of Alice Springs at 25 degrees 20' 41" S 131 degrees 01' 57" E. It is the second-largest monolith in the world (after Mount Augustus, also in Australia), more than 318 m (986 ft) high and 8 km (5 miles) around. It also extends 2.5 km (1.5 miles) into the ground. It was described by explorer Ernest Giles in 1872 as "the remarkable pebble". Ayers Rock attractions 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 remarkable feature of Uluru is its homogeneity and lack of jointing and parting at bedding surfaces, leading to the lack of development of scree slopes and soil. These characteristics led to its survival, while the surrounding rocks were eroded.

For the purpose of mapping and describing the geological history of the area, geologists refer to the rock strata making up Uluru as the Mutitjulu Arkose, and it is one of many sedimentary formations filling the Amadeus Basin. The Mutitjulu Arkose is believed to be of about the same age as the conglomerate at Kata Tjuta, and to have a similar origin despite the rock type being different, but it is younger than the rocks exposed to the east at Mount Conner, and unrelated to them. 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 Ayers Rock tourism subsurface, but the extent is not known. The rock was originally sand, deposited as part of an extensive alluvial fan that extended out from the ancestors of the Musgrave, Mann and Petermann Ranges to the south and west, but separate from a nearby fan that deposited the sand, pebbles and cobbles that now make up Kata Tjuta.

Northern Mariana Islands The similar mineral composition of the Mutitjulu Arkose and the granite ranges to the south is now explained. The ancestors of the ranges to the south were once much larger than the eroded remnants we see today. They were thrust up during a mountain building episode referred to as the Petermann Orogeny that took place in late Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian times (550-530 Ma), and thus the Mutitjulu Arkose is believed to have been deposited at about the same time. The arkose sandstone which makes up the formation is composed of grains that show little sorting based on grain size, exhibit very little rounding and the feldspars in the rock are relatively fresh in appearance. This lack of sorting and grain rounding is typical of arkosic sandstones and is indicative of relatively rapid erosion from the granites of the growing mountains to the south. The layers of sand were nearly horizontal when deposited, but were later tilted to their near vertical position during a later episode of mountain building, possibly the Alice Springs Orogeny of Palaeozoic age (400-300 Ma).

Despite current estimates of the age of the geological formations that comprise Uluru, however, the arkose sandstone which makes up the formation is composed of grains that are many different sizes and are jagged, and the feldspars in the rock are fresh and shiny. Flood geologists argue that this indicates a comparatively fast deposit, on the order of only a few years or less. They state that if the arkose grains had been transported more slowly they would be more rounded and evenly sorted, and the Ayers Rock attractions feldspars would have turned to clay in the intervening years. Archaeological findings to the east and west indicate that humans settled in the area more than 10,000 years ago. Europeans arrived in the Australian Western Desert in the 1870s. Uluru and Kata Tjuta were first mapped by Europeans in 1872 during the expeditionary period made possible by the construction of the Australian Overland Telegraph Line. In separate expeditions, Ernest Giles and William Gosse were the first European explorers to this area.

While exploring the area in 1872, Giles sighted Kata Tjuta from a location near Kings Canyon and called it Mount Olga, while the following year Gosse observed Uluru and named it Ayers Rock. Further explorations followed with the aim of establishing the possibilities of the area for pastoralism. In the late 1800s, pastoralists attempted to establish themselves in areas adjoining the South western/Petermann Reserve and interaction between Anangu and white people became more frequent and more violent. Due to the effects of grazing and drought, bush food stores became depleted. Competition for these resources created conflict between the two groups, resulting in Australia Tourist Attractions more frequent police patrols. Later, during the depression in the 1930s, Anangu became involved in dingo scalping with 'doggers' who introduced Anangu to European foods and ways. Between 1918 and 1921, large adjoining areas of South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory were declared as Aboriginal reserves, sanctuaries for nomadic people who had virtually no contact with European settlers.

In 1920, part of Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park was declared an Aboriginal Reserve (commonly known as the South-Western or Petermann Reserve) by the Australian government under the Aboriginals Ordinance. The first tourists arrived in the Uluru area in 1936. Beginning in the 1940s, permanent European settlement of the area for reasons of the Aboriginal welfare policy and to help promote tourism of Uluru. This increased tourism prompted the formation of the first vehicular tracks in 1948 and tour bus services began early in the following decade. In 1958, the area that would become the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park was excised from the Petermann Reserve; it was placed under the management of the Northern Territory Reserves Board and named the Ayers Rock - Mount Olga National Park. The first ranger was Bill Harney, a well-recognised central Australian figure. By 1959, the first Ayers Rock travel motel leases had been granted and Eddie Connellan had constructed an airstrip close to the northern side of Uluru.

On 26 October 1985, the Australian government returned ownership of Uluru to the local Pitjantjatjara Aborigines, with one of the conditions being that the Anangu would lease it back to the National Parks and Wildlife agency for 99 years and that it would be jointly managed. The Aboriginal community of Mutitjulu, population of approximately 300, is located near the western end of Uluru. From Uluru it is 17 km (11 mi) by road to the tourist town of Yulara, population 3,000, which is situated just outside of the national park. Kata Tjuta National Park is owned and run by the local Aboriginals. The Australian government handed ownership of the land back to the Aboriginals some years ago. The local indigenous community request that visitors respect the sacred status of Uluru by not climbing the rock, with signs posted to this effect.

In 1983 the former Prime Minister of Australia, Bob Hawke, promised to respect the request from the community that climbing Uluru be prohibited, but broke his promise when title was handed to the traditional owners in 1985 because access for tourists to climb Uluru was made a condition before they could receive the title. The climb crosses an important dreaming track, which has been a cause of sadness and distress among traditional owners. Neverthless, they are unable to prohibit climbing, and climbing Uluru is a popular attraction for a large fraction of the many tourists who visit it each year. A rope handhold makes the climb easier, but it is still quite a long and steep climb and many intended climbers give up partway up. There are several deaths a year as a direct result of climbing the rock, mainly from heart failure. The Rock is arkose, a course-grained sandstone rich in feldspar at least 2.5 km thick. Uplifting and folding between 400-300 mya turned the sedimentary layers nearly 90 degrees to their present position. The surface has then been eroded.

Depending on the Ayers Rock travel time of day and the atmospheric conditions, the rock can dramatically change color, anything from blue to violet to glowing red. Many avid photographers set up for days and record the many changing colors of Uluru. Uluru went from red to violet on June 1, 2004, waterfalls on the rocks causing the color change. Ayers Rock was named for the Premier of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers. It extends down over 3 and a half miles beneath the surface. Approximately 500 million years ago it was part of the ocean floor at the center of Australia. Some report that there is a light source emanating at various times of the year. Most likely this can be explained scientifically. The Aborigines believe that there it is hollow below ground, and that there is an energy source that they call 'Tjukurpa' the dream time. The term Tjukurpa is also used to refer to the record of all activities of a particular ancestral being from the very beginning of his or her travels to their end. Anangu know that the area around.

Ayers Rock (Mount Uluru) is inhabited by dozens of ancestral 'beings' whose activities are recorded at many other sites. At each site, the events that took place can be recounted, whether those events were of significance or whether the ancestral being just rested at a certain place before going on. Usually, there is a physical feature of some form at each ancestral site which represents both the activities of the ancestral being at the time of its formation and the living presence of Tjukurpa within that physical feature today. For the Australian Aboriginal people, that physical feature, whatever its form or appearance, animate or inanimate, is the Tjukurpa. It may be a rock, a sand hill, a grove of trees, a cave. For all of these, the creative essence remains forever within the physical form or appearance. Around Mount Uluru there are many examples of ancestral sites. The Australia Tourist Attractions Anangu explanations of these sites and of the formation of Mount Uluru itself derive from the Tjukurpa. Most of these explanations are in the realm of secret information and are not disclosed to Piranypa, the non-Aborigines.

'The Dreaming' is not a creation myth, per se, but a myth of formation. The world existed, but was featureless. Giant semi-human beings, resembling plants or animals, rose up from the plains where they had been slumbering for countless ages. These ancient heroes roamed the land aimlessly. As they wandered around, they carried out the tasks that the present Aborigines do today including camping, making fires, digging for water, fighting each other, and performing ceremonies. When the heroes became tired of doing these things, Dreamtime came to an end. Wherever the creators had been active, some form of natural feature now marks the place. The creators made everything with which the aborigines are in daily contact and from which they gain their living. The Ayers Rock attractions heroes also established laws that govern all aspects, both secular and sacred, of the tribes. Dreamtime was in the past, but it is the Aborigines present religion and culture. The saying, 'As it was done in the Dreamtime, so it must be done today,' dominates all aspects of aboriginal behavior.

Because of their beliefs in 'the dreaming,' ceremonies and rituals are held, stories are told, pictures are drawn, and daily life is defined. In order to understand the religion of the Aborigines, one must have a basic understanding of the organization of the tribes. All men and women belong to small groups, called clans. Each clan posses a distinct body of spiritual properties, or sacred sites. A clan may have several sacred sites that they claim, and the area surrounded by the connection of these sites forms the clan's estate. Clans are linked by common religious traditions, intermarriage, shared dialects, and overlapping foraging rights. Stone monument made by the heroic ancestors. Clans people of the crow believe they are descended from the Dreamtime's crow spirit who became a man. Each clan has a totem. 'Totemism is a view of nature and life, of the universe and man, which colors and influences the Aborigines' social groupings and mythologies, inspires their rituals and links them to the past. It unites them with nature's activities and species in a bond of mutual life-giving, and imparts confidence amidst the vicissitudes of life'.

The totem provides a tangible expression of a man's relationship to his deities. Everything in the Aboriginal world contains an essence or spirit that had its beginnings in the Dreamtime. Each person descended from one of these spirits and possessed some of its life force. The spirit it descended from is the person's totem. Images of totems make-up a large part of Aboriginal art. They were painted on cave walls, which we title rock art, drawn on the interiors of their huts, drawn on their bodies, and carved in wood. Totemic spirits are celebrated in ceremonies and rituals, and played a prominent part in Aboriginal myth. Myths, Legends and Aboriginal Traditions. According to the Anangu traditional landowners of Uluru: "The world was once a featureless place. None of the places we know existed until creator beings, in the forms of people, plants and animals, traveled widely across the land. Then, in a process of creation and destruction, they formed the landscape as we know it today.

Anangu land is still inhabited by the spirits of dozens of these ancestral creator beings which are referred to as Tjukuritja or Waparitja." There are a number of unauthenticated accounts of the Aboriginal ancestral stories for the origins of Uluru and its many cracks and fissures. One such account, taken from Robert Layton's (1989) ULURU: An Aboriginal history of Ayers Rock, reads as follows: "Uluru (Ayers Rock) was built up during the creation period by two boys who played in the mud after rain. When they had finished their game they travelled south to Wiputa ..Fighting together, the two Ayers Rock tourism boys made their way to the table topped Mount Conner, on top of which their bodies are preserved as boulders" Two other accounts are given in Norbert Brockman's (1997) Encyclopedia of Sacred Places. The first tells of serpent beings who waged many wars around Uluru, scarring the rock. The second tells of two tribes of ancestral spirits who were invited to a feast, but were distracted by the beautiful Sleepy Lizard Women and did not show up.

In response, the angry hosts sang evil into a mud sculpture that came to life as the dingo. There followed a great battle, which ended in the deaths of the leaders of both tribes. The earth itself rose up in grief at the bloodshed, becoming Uluru. It is sometimes reported that those who take rocks from the formation will be cursed and suffer misfortune. There have been many instances where people who removed such rocks attempted to mail them back to various agencies in an attempt to remove the perceived curse. In the creation period, Tatji, the small Red Lizard, who lived on the mulgi flats, came to Uluru. He threw his kali, a curved throwing stick, and it became embedded in the surface. He used his hands to scoop it out in his efforts to retrieve his kali, leaving a series of bowl-shaped hollows. Unable to recover his kali, he finally died in this cave. His implements and bodily remains survive as large boulders on the cave floor. The Bell-Bird brothers, were stalking an emu. The disturbed animal ran northward toward Uluru. Two Ayers Rock attractions blue-tongued lizard men, Mita and Lungkata, killed it, and butchered it with a stone axe.

Large joints of meat survive as a fractured slab of sandstone. When the Bell-Bird brothers arrived, the lizards handed them a skinny portion of emu, claiming there was nothing else. In revenge, the Bell-Bird brothers set fire to the Lizard's shelter. The men tried to escape by climbing the rock face, but fell and were burned to death. The gray lichen on the rock face is the smoke from the fire and the lizard men are two half-buried boulders. In Australia Tourist Attractions several caves in Uluru, rock represents many stories of the Dreamtime. The paintings are regularly renewed, with layer upon layer of paint, dating back many thousands of years. Ayers Rock (called Uluru by the native people who consider it a sacred place) is a striking monolith which is 3.6 km long and rises almost 350 meters above the vast pancake-flat surrounding red sandy plain. Its size has to be experienced in person to be believed, yet supposedly two third of it is still buried below the ground. Besides its monumental size, the detail of its gullies and caves, as well as the colors that it takes at different times of the day all add to its interest.

The native people prefer it that the Rock not be climbed. Photography of some formations Ayers Rock travel on the Rock that have a particularly important religious value, such as the "Brain" (seen from the Sunrise Viewing area) is prohibited. Tourist Attractions Tourists Attractions in Australia | Uluru Tourists Attractions in Australia - Uluru Uluru Uluru also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. Uluru is sacred to the Anangu, the Aboriginal people of the area. The area around the formation is home to a plethora of springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site Admission to the park costs A$25 per person, and provides a three day pass. Passes are non-transferable and all passes are checked by park rangers. Climbing Uluru is a popular attraction for visitors.Climbing Uluru is generally closed to the public when high winds are recorded at the top. What is more, the local Aṉangu do not climb Uluru because of its great spiritual significance.

They request that visitors do not climb the rock, partly due to the path crossing a sacred traditional Dreamtime track, and also due to a sense of responsibility for the safety of visitors. The visitors guide says: "the climb is not prohibited, but we prefer that, as a guest on Aṉangu land, you will choose to respect our law and culture by not climbing." Ayers Rock (Uluru) | Quickbeds Each infant must travel with at least one adult The total number of travellers can't be more then 9 Each room must have at least one adult. Check-out date must be after check-in date. Please confirm that all travellers are residents of Australia. Please select the age of each child. Ayers Rock (Uluru) Cheap Hotels and Accommodation Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone formation standing 348m above the ground and is one of the great Australian attractions. This million year old natural wonder attracts visitors from all over the world. One of the most amazing features of Uluru is that the colours of the rock change depending on the sunlight at different times of the day. This is something you can only experience to fully understand.

Uluru has an amazing walking track around the base allowing you to experience the whole rock formation. The whole area is rich with indigenous culture and you’ll see many rock and cave paintings. The Cultural Centre at Yulara has a good selection of shops where you can pick up local Indigenous art and souvenirs and learn more about the creation stories. This world-heritage listed wonder sits in the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park and lies 335 km south west of Alice Springs, 450 km by road. Kata Tjuta is the traditional name for Mount Olga or The Olgas, which are located 25km west of Uluru. The nearby town Yulara has been built to provide accommodation and supplies for locals and tourists visiting Uluru. Quickbeds has a great selection of hotels and accommodation in Yulara near Uluru. One option is to fly into Ayers Rock Airport (also known as Connellan Airport) or fly into Alice Springs and drive through outback Northern Territory to Yulara and experience the outback.

Amazing experiences you can have in the region include helicopter flights over Uluru and Kings Canyon, camel rides at sunset or the amazing Sails in the Desert dinner under the stars. This will be an unforgettable holiday experience.

Question: Which Australian attraction is also known as Uluru ?
Answer: AYERS ROCK