To Uluru
The landscape during our nine hour drive from Coober Pedy to Uluru became more interesting.
Day 1 After setting up at the Yulara campground, we rode our bikes into town and listened to local Anangu man Leroy Lester describe the traditional weapons used in the desert.
   Uluru at Sunset- one of the most amazing places in Australia       
Day 2
Up at 5.30am to see the Sunrise at Uluru
  
The Cultural Centre at Uluru is one of the best informative centres I've seen. Kids really enjoyed the documentary on the history of the campaign to have Uluru handed back to the local Anangu peoples, which happened under the Hawke Labor Government in 1985 after years of struggle.
Kata Tjuta (Olgas)
  
Little is revealed about Kata Tjuta on site because it is so sacred. The rocks represent heads of ancestors.
We finished with another sunset view of the rock which was just in our backyard- in the sand dunes behind the caravan park which Jack, the intrepid explorer, found.
Day 3
Took an amazing guided tour around the base of the rock with Park Ranger Mick. There are free daily tours from Marla Carpark. He pointed out various flora that traditional owners used like a tree that cures warts and berries used to make cordial. He explained the rock carvings on the natural outdoor classrooms used to teach young Anangu children. The womens areas around the base of the rock cannot be photographed as they are sacred places.
Mick told us a few dreamtime stories and reinforced the importance of not climbing the rock for many reasons, the most important being to respect the wishes of the Anangu people for which this place is very sacred. They don't climb it. Other reasons include safety, so far 40 people have died during climbing and the brittle nature of the rock is deteriorating. There are large translated signs requesting visitors not to climb the rock but they still do, we saw plenty grappling with the chain that remains on the rock. Under the lease arrangement between the Anangu and the Federal Government, the Government insisted that Uluru be allowed to be climbed for tourism revenue reasons. However this is suppose to end in 2019- lets see if the Turnbull Government stands by the original agreement or renigs.
 
The pool at the Outback pioneer hotel helped cool the hot day which left Joel and the kids panting on the camper floor while Mandy did the laundry!
A highlight of the visit was a tour of the "Field of Light" art installation by international artist Bruce Monroe that is on for a year. It has 50,000 LED stems that are positioned like a sea of flowers in front of Uluru on a private property adjacent to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. You have to pay for a tour, no other way to get in. Ours had champers and canapes before sunset- posh!
   
A great way to finish off a wonderful experience. Petrol, food are expensive but a must visit.
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Have been awaiting news of your time in Uluru. I'm glad you loved it. I can't wait to go back. Time to get that bloody chain down!!!!
ReplyDeleteA few points of note: the Hawke government gave the land back to the Anangu on the basis of them offering a lease to the Federal Government for tourism. Despite the original request and agreement that it would be a 50 year lease and there would be no climbing, the Hawke government recanted and it became a 99 year lease and climbing would be allowed. In the previous plan of management (1995-2010), it was agreed that there would be three conditions under which the chains would come down, even if only one of them was met. One of them has been met every year since 2006. The lease continues until 2084 but a new plan of management will be negotiated in 2019.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were there in 1995, the Anangu were strongly against Minga (the ants) climbing. We talked to many who were belligerent about climbing, as though it was their right as an Australian. Tourists, in the main, seemed prepared to respect the wishes of the owners. How anyone could meet with the people, hear their stories or visit their cultural centre at Uluru and still climb, is beyond me.
Sam refused to climb when he went there on a school excursion when he was 16. He was one of two. The staff supervising the excursion roundly poo-pooed the wishes of the Anangu. I hope things have changed among teachers since.