Red rock ayers rock australia. The red rock of Ayers Rock is the largest and very ancient monolithic rock in the world. This unique place is one of the main attractions of Australia.

Uluru (Ayers Rock) (eng. Uluru) is a massive orange-brown oval-shaped rock formed about 680 million years ago in Australia. Located in the "region" Central Australia (en.) - the southernmost administrative region Northern Territory in the center of the continent, 450 km southwest of the city of Alice Springs. 18 km north of Uluru is located resort town Yulara (en.) with a recreation and tourist service area, on the border of which Ayers Rock Airport (en.) is built.

Uluru is 3.6 km long, about 3 km wide and 348 meters high. The base is carved with caves adorned with ancient rock paintings and stone carving. According to the myths of the natives, the owner of the mountain, the water python, once lived here. And on a steep slope lived a black monitor lizard. Aborigines perform rituals at the sacred rock.

Once in the center of the continent there was a mountain range, which is an island in the middle of Lake Amadius. Destruction products rocks were deposited at the bottom of the reservoir, forming a rock, which appearance resembles a giant elephant lying on its side.
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Uluru was first described by William Christine Gross in 1873 and named it Ayers Rock in honor of the governor South Australia Henry Ayers. At the insistence of the natives, the name was returned in the 70s.

amazing stone
From a distance, the Uluru monolith looks very smooth, but close up, bumps, cracks and grooves are clearly visible on the surface.

Although the rock is located in the middle of the desert, hurricanes hit the region every year, bringing heavy rains. The desert climate is characterized by temperature fluctuations: the nights are cold here, and the midday heat reaches 38 ° C. The stone expands when heated, and contracts when cooled, which causes it to crack.

The unique mountain giant consists of red sandstone, the special properties of which allow it to change color depending on the lighting during the day. At dawn, the black silhouette of the mountain brightens, acquiring a dark purple hue. The sun rises higher and Uluru flashes purple-red, then glows pink, and turns golden by noon. The fantastic play of color continues all day long. By evening, the "chameleon" mountain turns into a dark silhouette against the backdrop of the desert.

There is another one near Uluru famous complex- Kata Tjuta (Many heads), also known as Mount Olga. It consists of several dark red rounded mountains, the highest of which reaches 546 m.

Ernest Giles was the first European to see Uluru in 1872. He noticed a rock from the shores of Lake Amadius, but he could not reach it. And a year later, the English explorer William Goss climbed to the top of the miracle mountain; he named the stone block Ayers Rock in honor of the Secretary of State of South Australia, Henry Ayers, who later became the Prime Minister of the country.

Tourists began to visit this place only in 1950, after the completion of the construction of the highway through the area in which Uluru is located.

In the period from 1931 to 1946, 22 daredevils conquered the top of the monolith. Already by 1969, the number of tourists from all over the world visiting Uluru annually increased to 23 thousand, and today it has reached half a million. In this regard, a serious problem arose in the status of Uluru as tourist facility, on the one hand, and an object of worship for local residents- on the other hand (according to ancient legends, communication with a mountain gives a person strength).

Breed composition

The rock monolith consists of gray coarse-grained arkosic sandstone, which is formed due to the destruction of granites. The analysis showed the presence of feldspar, quartz and iron oxides in it. It is iron that gives the array a “rusty” color.

place of worship
Archaeologists believe that the natives inhabited the areas adjacent to Uluru as early as 10,000 years ago. According to the beliefs of the local Anangu tribe, the earth must be treated with respect as the cradle of life and the nurse. Thanks to the spouting spring and caves, Uluru has been a haven for ancient tribes for hundreds of years.

At its foot, as well as in the caves, samples of ancient rock art. However, these drawings do not give an unambiguous idea of ​​the history of Uluru, bringing several versions to the judgment of contemporaries. Many legends tell about the creation of a fabulous mountain; according to one of them, it was created by the ancient giants. The most revered aboriginal deities are depicted on the rock: Mala (“Hare Kangaroo”), Kunia (“Python Woman”) and Liru (“Brown Snake”). At the foot of the rock there is a water source where animals come to drink.

Musgrave massif is located 100 km south of Uluru.

Since 1977, Uluru has been part of biosphere reserve of national and world importance, which is included in the UNESCO list. In 1987, the reserve was listed as a monument of world importance.

Aboriginal property

Since "" October 26, 1985, Uluru officially belongs to the Anangu tribe, however, the stone giant was leased to the government for a period of 99 years for use as a national park. The annual rental fee is $75,000 plus 20% of each admission ticket. Aborigines are interested in the development of tourism and, in accordance with the agreement, do not interfere with visiting the peak of Uluru, to which their sacred path leads. Unfortunately, climbing to the top stone giant, tourists, called minga ("black ants") by the anangu, do not always behave in a civilized manner and pollute the area adjacent to Ayers Rock. The high air temperature and the slippery surface of the rock make the two-hour climb to the mountain an unsafe journey: tourists die here every year as a result of falls, heart attacks and sunstroke. The indigenous people are full of hope that in the near future visitors will admire them. ancient mountain without feeling the need to climb to its top.

Ayers Rock is the largest and oldest monolith rock in the world. This unique place is one of the main attractions of Australia

Ayers Rock- orange-brown oval-shaped rock, formed about 680 million years ago. Its oval "hump" 2.4 kilometers long and 1.6 kilometers wide rises 348 meters above the surrounding plain! This is what's left of the big mountain range Peterman. Ayers Rock is part of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

There was a lot of controversy about the origin of Peterman in his time. The mystery of the emergence of a huge mountain range in the middle of an endless, flat, table-like desert gave rise to a lot of the most incredible assumptions, such as the fact that this is a giant iron meteorite that fell on the plain thousands of years ago. Later, geologists explained the appearance of Ayers Rock in a much simpler way, which, of course, did not make it less impressive, although after that it became a little less mysterious)

According to modern science, Ayers Rock is a typical product of erosion - the never-ending process of the destruction of high relief by natural forces and the transformation of rugged terrain into a plain. At the same time, more durable rock masses that survived are called remnants by scientists. They can be found in the Sahara on the Tibesti plateau, in Arabia and in the American Monument Valley. A typical remnant is sugar loaf in Rio de Janeiro. The same remnant is Ayers Rock, with the only difference that it overshadows any of them both in its size and the impression of absolute unreality that arises at the sight of a huge rock that reigns over hundreds of kilometers around plain

The first European who saw a huge stone block in the middle of the desert was Ernest Giles. In the 19th century, he noticed a rock from the shores of Lake Amadies, but he could not reach it. However, a year later, the English explorer William Goss climbed to the top of the miracle mountain. He named the rock "Ayers Rock" after South Australian Secretary of State Henry Ayers.

The circumference of the rock is about 9 km, and to get to the top, you have to overcome an inclined path 1.6 km long. Not everyone can overcome a risky rise, although now in the most dangerous places and put metal railings

From the top Ayers Rock opens beautiful view on a vast desert that stretches in all directions, almost devoid of vegetation - only at the foot of the cliff do rare groves of stunted eucalyptus and acacia grow green

Australian Aborigines call this rock Uluru and have considered it sacred for thousands of years. This word does not mean anything and is often used by the natives as a name. Numerous legends and traditions are associated with the name of Uluru. Giant, animal-like dents on a strong stone gave rise to many legends and beliefs among superstitious indigenous Australians.

The natives believe that the monstrous huge dog Kura-Punya left footprints on the rock, sneaking up to the hunters' camp in order to devour them all without a trace. Only the help of the everlasting friend of people - the cheerful kookaburra bird, which with its cry warned people about the approach of a terrible beast, saved their lives.

In the caves at the foot of the cliff, many ritual drawings of the natives have been preserved. Ayers Rock can, without exaggeration, be called the center of the primitive culture of the indigenous inhabitants of Australia. The dimensions of the caves are impressive: the largest of them reach 800 meters in length and 30 meters in height. Three small lakes even formed in the caves, filled during the rainy season with water seeping through the cracks of the rock. So in the hot summer, when all the sources in the area dried up, the natives found here shelter from the hot rays of the sun and life-giving moisture.

Ayers Rock looks unusual in any light, and during sunset or sunrise, you have to constantly remind yourself that this is not a dream, but real natural phenomenon)

The stone monolith is famous for the fact that it can change its color during the day, like a chameleon, from fiery red and pink, to purple, blue and brown.

Time and natural forces have worked hard on the surface of the rock, leaving notches and scars on it, and even large recesses of the most bizarre shape. When rains are rare for this area, silvery streams of water run down the cracks and grooves.

Tourists started visiting Ayers Rock only in the middle of the last century, after the completion of the construction of the highway through this area. Despite the remoteness and inaccessibility of this corner of Australia, located in the very center of the continent, the flow of tourists who want to see unique rock, is growing every year. People on cars and planes get here to admire the beauty of the extraordinary landscape, which cannot be found anywhere else in the world!

national park Uluru - Kata Tjuta - unique nature reserve in the heart of the Australian continent, which since 1987 has been under the auspices of UNESCO. Its main attraction is Uluru (Ayers Rock) - the main shrine of the Australian aborigines and one of the most recognizable places in Oceania.

History of Uluru National Park - Kata Tjuta

The area at the foot of Mount Uluru, rich in water sources, was inhabited by Australian Aborigines more than 10,000 years ago. The Anangu tribe living here was engaged in hunting and gathering and revered the mountain as a place of sacred rites.

The first Europeans in this area appeared already in 1870 when planning a telegraph line. In 1872, Mount Kata Tjuta was discovered by Ernest Giles, who named it Olga, in honor of the Russian Grand Duchess, daughter of Emperor Nicholas I and wife of King Charles I of Württemberg. Later, in 1873, William Goss discovered the Uluru rock, which received the name Ayers Rock , in honor of the South Australian governor.
In the XIX - early XX century, the settlers tried to use the land in the area for cattle breeding and agriculture, which led to numerous skirmishes with the natives. To resolve the conflict, the authorities recognized this part of the continent as a reservation of the indigenous population of Australia.
In the 1930s the territory in the vicinity of Uluru began to gain immense popularity among tourists, and in 1958 this area was declared a National Park. Later, in 1976, the Australian authorities returned these lands to the Anangu tribe, who in 1985 leased it to the parks agency for a period of 99 years.

Attractions of the National Park and Mount Uluru in Australia with photos and descriptions

Uluru Rock (Ayers Rock)

Main attraction national park Uluru - Kata Tjuta - mysterious mountain Uluru. This unique natural landmark, which changes its color during the day, annually attracts more than 400,000 tourists.

There are many legends associated with the main shrine of the Australian Aborigines. Some of the caves in the mountain are considered portals to another world and tourists are not allowed to enter or even take pictures. This object is considered to be the intersection of invisible paths along which the ancient inhabitants of these places and the souls of their ancestors walk.

Did you know? In the vicinity of Mount Uluru, triangular UFOs have been repeatedly seen. Their appearance was recorded even by astronomers.

Mount Olga (Kata Tjuta)

In addition to Mount Uluru, another hill of the National Park, Mount Olga, is of considerable interest to tourists. It consists of 36 rounded rocks, the highest of which reaches 546 meters. In the language of the natives, the name of this place sounds like Kata Tjuta, which means "many heads" in translation.

Flora and fauna

Despite the conditions of the desert area, there are 416 representatives of the flora in the park. Many of the plants of this region have adapted to the specific conditions of the desert savanna, in which rains are very rare. Some of them need heat or even a fire in order to bloom, while others rise only after a rainstorm.
As for the fauna of the park, unfortunately, it has been significantly affected by human activities and animals introduced by Europeans. Many representatives native species disappeared or are on the verge of extinction. However, in the remote corners of the reserve, tourists can still meet red kangaroos, emu or motley monitor lizard.

Uluru waterfalls

Enough big interest for tourists are the waterfalls of Uluru in Australia. Huge streams of water are formed here after heavy rains and look especially picturesque in this desert area.

Uluru Park Activities - Kata Tjuta

The territory of the National Park belongs to the Australian Anangu tribe. In addition to the fact that the natives receive 20% of each ticket sold, they also conduct tours and take pictures with tourists for an additional fee.
There are many facilities in this area tourist routes of varying complexity. The best way to see Mount Uluru is a walk along the “Main Path”, and moving along the “Valley of the Winds” road, you will find an amazing monolith of Kata Tjuta.

The sights of Uluru - Kata Tjuta can also be viewed from a height by ordering a helicopter tour for this or visiting one of viewing platforms within the National Park.

Important! There are many ways to climb Mount Uluru. But the natives consider this sacrilege, after which an accident awaits the sinner.

How to get there

You can visit the National Park by flying from any major Australian city to Connellan Airport, 25 kilometers from which the Uluru rock is located. You can get to it on one of scheduled buses or by renting a car in the town of Yulara.

Admission fees and hours of operation

Uluru National Park is open daily from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm.
The entrance ticket to the park will cost you 25 Australian dollars (approximately 18 euros). The duration of its action is 3 days from the date of purchase, which gives tourists the opportunity for a thorough acquaintance with most of the sights of Uluru - Kata Tjuta.

Video overview of the sights of Uluru National Park - Kata Tjuta

Uluru National Park is one of interesting places for relax . Especially for you, we have selected for you a short and bright video about the bewitching views of Uluru.

Perhaps our readers were lucky enough to visit the Uluru Katayata National Park in Australia? Write about your impressions in the comments!

Mount Uluru located in the center of Australia in the heart of the continent. The nearest town of Yulara is only 18 km away. On the border of the town, an airport was built specifically to receive 500 thousand tourists a year. But do not forget that for the Australian aborigines, the Uluru rock is sacred, and therefore climbing to its top is not welcome, although not prohibited.

Mount Uluru itself is 348 meters high and 3.5 km long, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Uluru goes underground for about 6 km and reappears at a distance of 25 km. in the form of a Kata-Tjuta complex. The highest of the mountains is called Mount Olga, its height is even higher than that of Uluru 546 m. ​​This place is also revered by the natives.

Once in the center of Australia there was Lake Amadius, and Uluru, according to scientists, is what remains of the mountain range that towered in the center of the lake in the form of an island. Thus, in ancient times this place was no less interesting.

From afar it may seem that Uluru is very smooth, but in fact it is not, due to the large temperature changes during the day and night, as well as the annual hurricanes, it is covered with cracks.

Uluru has the unusual property of changing its color depending on the time of day. This is due to the characteristics of the red sandstone that makes up the mountain.

An interesting fact: Uluru was also called Ayers Rock in honor of one of the governors of Australia, but at the request of the natives in the 70s, the old name Uluru was returned.

Near Uluru, a spring springs from the ground, and there are also a lot of caves where you can hide from the sun, so it is not surprising that this place in the middle of a hot desert has been a refuge for the ancient Australians for many centuries. At the foot of the mountain, as well as in its caves, you can see examples of ancient rock art.

Previously, Uluru belonged to the Australian government, but in 1985 the relic was returned to the natives, more precisely, the Anangu tribe. True, it must be said that Uluru was immediately bought out again by the Australian government, or rather, leased for 99 years for 75 thousand dollars a year, plus 20% of the cost of entry from each visitor. The entrance ticket costs 25 Australian dollars.

Aborigines are not happy with so many people who want to climb to the top of their sacred mountain but do not discourage tourists.

Uluru on the map:

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Video: Mount Uluru.

Ayers Rock is the largest and oldest monolith rock in the world. This unique place is one of the main attractions of Australia. Ayers Rock is an orange-brown, oval-shaped rock that formed approximately 680 million years ago. Its oval “hump”, 2.5 kilometers long and one and a half kilometers wide, rises as much as 348 meters above the surrounding plain! This is what remains of the huge Peterman mountain range. Mount Ayers Rock is part of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia.

There was a lot of controversy about the origin of the Peterman mountain range. The mystery of the emergence of a large mountain range in the middle of an almost endless desert, flat as a table, caused a lot of incredible assumptions. For example, the fact that it is a giant iron meteorite that fell thousands of years ago on the Australian plain. A little later, geologists explained the appearance of Ayers Rock much more simply, which, of course, did not make it less impressive and interesting, although after that it became much less mysterious.

According to modern scientists, Ayers Rock is a typical product of erosion - an endless process of destruction by natural forces of the heights of the relief and the transformation of rough terrain into an ordinary plain. At the same time, geologists call the surviving rock massifs remnants. You can meet them in Arabia, in American Valley Monuments in the Sahara. A typical remnant is also the Sugar Loaf in Brazilian Rio de Janeiro. The same is australian mountain Ayers Rock, with the only difference being that it dwarfs any other both by its enormous size and by the impression of complete unreality that arises at the sight of a huge rock reigning over a plain that stretches around it for hundreds of kilometers.

It is thanks to the external beauty and mystery that Ayers Rock is popular among filmmakers. Therefore, this place is quite famous in the world of show business. Just on the hochu website, you can be aware of all the latest significant events and show business news.

As for Ayers Rock itself, its circumference is about nine kilometers, and to get to its top, you will have to overcome an inclined path one and a half kilometers long. This perilous climb is not for everyone to overcome, although in our time metal railings have been installed in the most dangerous places.

From the top of Ayers Rock, a wonderful view of the vast desert, stretching in all directions and almost devoid of any vegetation, opens up a wonderful view. Only at the foot of the cliff do rare groves of stunted acacias and eucalyptus trees turn green in places.

The Australian Aborigines call this rock Uluru and have considered it sacred for thousands of years. This name means absolutely nothing and is often used by the natives simply as a name. Numerous stories and legends are associated with the name Uluru. The natives believe that the huge dents on the rock are the traces left by the huge monstrous dog Kura-Punya, sneaking up to the hunters' camps in order to devour all of them without a trace. And only the help of man's everlasting friend - a cheerful kookaburra bird, which warned people with its cry about the approach of a terrible beast and saved their lives.

In any light, Ayers Rock looks very unusual, and during sunrise or sunset, you always have to remind yourself that this is a real natural phenomenon, and not a dream. The rocky monolith is famous for being able to change its color like a chameleon during the day, from pink and fiery red to purple, brown and blue.

Natural forces and time have worked a lot on the surface of the rock, leaving scars and notches on it, and even large recesses of a bizarre shape. When it rains, rare for this area, silvery streams and streams of water run down the grooves and cracks.

Tourists began to visit Mount Ice Rock only in the middle of the 20th century, after the completion of the construction of the highway passing through this area. Neither the inaccessibility nor the remoteness of this corner of Australia, located in the very center of the mainland, does not prevent the flow of tourists from growing every year who want to see this unique rock with their own eyes. People on airplanes and cars get here to admire the beauty of the extraordinary landscape, which you will not find equal anywhere in the world!

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