Uluru (Ayers Rock) NT

About Uluru

Some links…

• Some facts about Uluru

Ayers Rock Campground

It was an 247km road trip from Erldunda Roadhouse to Ayers Rock Campground (trip maplink) and had our 1st real experience of the red centre. Our campsite was pure red sand. The campsite is not at the rock, as some think, but some distance (maplink). We rounded out our first day by taking a stroll out to Naninga Lookout to get our first view and watch the sunset.

Sunrise Helicopter Flight over Uluru and Kata Tjuta

We took a 36 minute sunrise helicopter flight around Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) with Ayers Rock Helicopters. Check them out on Tripadvisor. Our pilot’s name was Carmen (from Switzerland).

The sun was just peaking up on the horizon as we lifted off from Ayers Rock airfield.

First was a circuit of “the rock” which casts a massive shadow over 50 km towards the western horizon. This really provides a perspective as to the size of the rock.

Then off to the mystical Kata Tjuta which is best seen from the air.

Neil’s Base Walk of Uluru

Following the inspirational flight around Uluru and the Olga’s Neil decides to tackle the 10 kilometre walk around the rock.

A breeze you may say; which it basically was. It was dead flat, people were passing on push-bikes and doing the Segway tour.

The walk provides a very different and personal perspective to the shear size of the rock. It was breath-taking in lots of places.

It took about 3.5 hours to comfortably do the walk. My legs were covered in the red dust of the rock when finished.

Sounds of Silence Dinner

We booked into the famous Sounds of Silence Dinner at the rock which also has the grande finale of the Field of Light.

What a fantastic evening we had – check it out on Tripadvisor. It began with pick-up from our caravan park then we were spirited out to a high sand dune for pre-dinner drinks and canapes as we watched the sunset over the desert on one side and the ever changing colours of the rock as the sun went down. Wow!!!

Then we moved onto a banquet dinner under the stars sharing a table with 8 other strangers. Everyone just clicked and that made for a great dinner. The menu went like this…

• ENTRÉES (served to the table)
  • Roasted tomato and native thyme soup
• MAIN COURSE – Bush Tucker Inspired Buffet
  • Barramundi, lemon myrtle cream, caramelised lemon, glazed greens
  • Native dukkah crusted kangaroo, organic quinoa, roasted capsicum salsa
  • Seared chicken breast, coastal rosemary and garlic baked potatoes, leek veloute
  • Lamb cutlet, blistered cherry tomatoes, crisp sea parsley, bush tomato jus
  • Steamed seasonal greens with lemon aspen vinaigrette
  • Warrigal green and mushroom risoni, feta crumble, sundried tomatoes
• DESSERT
  • Desert lime cheesecake
  • Warm chocolate and wattle-seed slice
  • Warm apple and quandong crumble tarts
  • Pear and lemon myrtle tea cake
  • Davidson plum and berry compote
  • Watermelon platters
  • Vanilla anglaise
• SALAD SELECTION
  • Kale, pickled Spanish onion, chickpea, roasted sesame dressing
  • Braised crocodile, shaved vegetable and fragrant herb salad
  • Pepperberry roasted cauliflower, pickled muntries, spinach and mint yogurt dressing
  • Fusilli salad, roasted artichoke, salt-bush, olives, salsa verde
  • Garden salad

Following dinner the “resident star talker” provided an insight into the myriad of stars in the night sky.

Field of Lights – Uluru

Following on from the brilliant dinner we strolled over the red sand dunes to this incredible light display. Absolutely magical – check it out on Tripadvisor.

The critically acclaimed Field of Light Uluru by the internationally celebrated artist Bruce Munro aptly named Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku or ‘looking at lots of beautiful lights’ in local Pitjantjatjara is Munro’s largest work to date. Overwhelming in size, covering more than seven football fields, it invites immersion in its fantasy garden of 50,000 spindles of light, the stems breathing and swaying through a sympathetic desert spectrum of ochre, deep violet, blue and gentle white. Click here to read more

There are so many photos here it was hard to determine which were the best – here are 16 out of 67 taken…

The Mala Walk

We took the (free) ranger led Mala Walk at 10.00am and were so impressed by the information they shared about the traditions of the Mala Walk and the beauty of the walk. Check it out on Tripadvisor.

It is a short 2km return trip which took about 1.5 hours. Our Ranger, Peter, guided us along a shaded track, stopping to discuss Anangu history (the local people) and Tjukurpa (Aboriginal law) stories associated with Mala ancestors, rock art, traditional Anangu lifestyle, history and the environment; finishing up at Kantju Gorge.

Kata Tjuka (the Olgas)

To complete our “Uluru Experience” we drove out to the Kata Tjuka (Olgas) part of the national park and completed the short Walpa Gorge Walk.

It is the absolute mammoth series of the rocks which draw you into the gorge. (like Uluru but different)