Sunday, November 27, 2011

Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kata Tjuta, the Outback & Alice Springs

Ok, so if you go to Australia you have to go to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Yet another on our pilgramage to UNESCO world heritage sites. Uluru has the designation for both cultural and natural significance. After reading the information in the cultural center, we decided not to climb it. It is a nasty climb(see photo with chain going straight up) and it is a sacred site for the aboriginals and they ask you not to. Also 40 people have died climbing Uluru. So we did a walk around the base and saw one of the reasons it is important for the aboriginals. It has a permanent source of water at the base in the Kantju gorge. No matter how hot and dry it is there is water here.
We also went and watched the sunset. It seems to have a range of colors as the sun drops. From brick red to yellow to orange to brown. Beautiful.


We also went to Kata Tjuta, called many heads by the natives, you can see why. It is about 40km away from Uluru but just as majestic.









After a few days here we drove through the dry arid outback to Alice Springs.

We went through the Desert Garden which showed many plants, animals and water sources that have been used by the Aboriginals for about 60,000 years.



 Off to Cairns tomorrow. We pick up the campervan and drive down the coast exploring the Great Barrier Reef which of course is another UNESCO world heritage site.

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