Ally The Canalian: The Heart of Australia

The beginnings of Lake Eyre, the largest lake in Australia

Amazing! That about sums up the 3 days at Uluru (Ayer's Rock). Mom, Dad and I hopped on a plane early on the Monday after school ended flew into the very heart of Australia a.k.a. the Red Centre. After some delays in the Sydney airport, and a 3 hour flight over red desert and countless salt lakes, we finally landed in the scorching heat of mid-afternoon. A balmy 37 degrees Celsius folks! Our first stop, after renting our beautiful Holden Commodore (yay for AC), was our home for the next 3 nights, the Emu Walk Apartments.

Still Lake Eyre

The Apartments are part of the Ayers Rock Resort which was built in the mid-1980s, 20 kms away from the rock itself. This was to stop a potential environmental disaster as hotels and an airstrip had materialized right next to the rock itself as tourism had become more popular in this region. This threatened the water supply (which I will get to later) and the wildlife. The Resort boasts 6 hotels, a campground, 3 swimming pools (which can be used by any guests of the resort), a shopping square, various art galleries and restaurants. One hotel, Longitude 161 is actually a bunch of outsized tents that cost $1000/person per night. We did not stay there.

The first view of Ayers Rock (Uluru)

After buying some groceries to have dinner, we headed off to the Camel farm to begin our sunset camel ride. This was awesome. We had a beautiful night (the best of our three nights) in which to watch the sun change the colors of Uluru and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). After the camel ride, we were invited back for wine, beer and bush tucker. While eating, a young, red kangaroo made a bounding appearance in our midst. His mother had been done in by a truck but the joey had been saved and was now a pet of the camel farm. He was very friendly and enjoyed the attention he was given by us tourists.

The airport at Ayers Rock

Mom and Ayers Rock

The other camel train in front of Uluru

Gorgeous sunsets

Baby camels

Mom petting her first kangaroo

The next morning we spent in a Cessna. Our pilot, Andrew, took us on a 40 minute joyride around the two monoliths of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. The aerial view was amazing and was Dad's favorite part of the trip. We got a bird's eyeview of not only the rocks but the resort, the aboriginal settlement, Mt. Connor to the east, and the MacDonnell Ranges.

Kata Tjuta (the Olgas)

After our airplane ride, we drove out to Curtin Springs, an actual working cattle station (ranch). This ranch is over a million acres in size and encompasses another monolith Mt. Connor (a.k.a. Fool-uru because when driving from Alice Springs people see Mt. Connor and think it is their first glimpse of Uluru). Though we were unable to see much of the ranch, they had a restaurant so we had a drink, stopped to use the bathroom (Mom thought it was hilarious that they labelled them Sheilas and Blokes) and headed back to the resort. Mom actually took all of our lives into her hands and drove. She figured straight roads and nothing to hit but desert would keep everyone safe. We survived the odyssey and Mom is now very proud of the experience (though she still refused to drive in Canberra).

The red sand with Mt. Connor in the distance

That afternoon, Mom and I headed out to Kata Tjuta. Dad stayed behind because the temperature had hit 40 degrees. Mom and I probably should have stayed in the air conditioned room but being the stupid Canadians that we are (having only dealt with -40 temperatures and not being fazed) we began a 40 minute hike into the heart of Kata Tjuta. Though this sounds ominous, it really is amazing how much water there is within the monolith. There were literally streams and small ponds of it. It is no wonder why the aboriginal people of the region regard the site as holy. Unfortunately for Mom, the amount of water did not mean the temperature went down. Mom overheated on our trip back to the car and we had to pour out our water bottles onto her to complete the journey. Once back into the air conditioned car, Mom revived and we made the 30 minute car ride back into the resort.

The night, after a wonderful dinner of roasted chicken and potatoes, Mom and I headed off for a resort activity. A young lady whose husband is a chef at the resort, took a few guests out to a lookout in the middle of the resort to watch the sunset. The view was perfect as you had Uluru out to the left and Kata Tjuta out to the right. We were very lucky as on this night a storm rolled through. I even got a photo of lightning striking over Uluru. I was first of all the photographers there to get one. I also happen to think that it is the best. The sunset was spectacular with all of the clouds blazing in the sun's final rays.

The storm rolls in

Sunset behind Kata Tjuta

The next morning we were up very early to watch the sunrise. There were actually quite a few of us up that early to feast our eyes on the glory of one of nature's finest shows. With the sun behind us, Uluru and Kata Tjuta slowly lit up from darkness, to pink, to orange. This is something everyone must see in their lifetime.

The rest of the day was spent getting a close up view of Uluru. We made our way to the cultural centre which gave information about why Uluru is sacred to the aboriginals and how they were able to survive out in the middle of nowhere. Though it looks very green, this is a product of above average rainfall over the last couple of years. Usually the land is red and orange. Though the pictures don't let you experience the oven of the red centre, I can only say, how the aboriginals survived out here?, I truly don't know. After 3 days spent out here, I only have the deepest respect for this group of aboriginal peoples. I wouldn't want to live out here for any amount of time and they did it for tens of thousands of years before the white man came.

After a quick tour through the cultural centre, we met up with a park ranger (who I am fairly certain has been inducted as a member of the Anangu people) to do a portion of the Base Walk. Tim, our guide, was very knowledgeable about the people and the land. We learned about hunting, gathering, the education of the young, and the historical and geographical importance of Uluru. Amazingly, we also witnessed one of the great sights, waterfalls off Uluru. Though this has become a little more common in the last couple of years, it is still a spectacular sight and people who see it are supposed to have good luck (like seeing Tower Bridge open in London). He even gave us some insight into travelling in the region. As the crow flies, Kata Tjuta is 35km west of Uluru. Approximately a 20 minute car ride in these times. When you ask an Anangu elder how long a trip it is, or even how to get there the answer is a finger pointing north and 4 fingers, meaning four days. The Anangu people would have never walked straight to the Olgas as it was too hot and too far. You would die before you got there. Instead they go water hole, but water hole which is a longer distance, but much safer. Even now, there are many cars strewn along the highways of Central Australia, but they are left there as scrap piles in case someone else has car trouble and they need parts. It is definitely a very different way of thinking out here.

The route up Uluru. It is closed for the summer
months as it is too dangerous to climb in the heat.
You are highly discouraged from climbing as it is dangerous,
and a sacred journey from boyhood into manhood for the Anangu.