Ayers Rock is a real Australian miracle! Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia

Ayers Rock

Ayers Rock is an orange-brown, oval-shaped rock that 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 remains of the great Peterman mountain range. Ayers Rock is part of national park Uluru-Kata Tjuta.
There was a lot of controversy about the origin of Peterman in his time. The mysteriousness of the emergence of a huge mountain range in the middle of an endless, flat as a table 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 the Secretary of State. South Australia Henry Ayers.
The circumference of the rock is about 9 km, and to get to the top, you will 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 up metal railings.
From the top of Ayers Rock, there is a beautiful view of the vast desert that stretches in all directions, almost devoid of vegetation - only at the foot of the cliff are rare groves of stunted eucalyptus and acacia trees green.

The 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 footprints, 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 a constant friend of people - a 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 a 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 it rains, which are rare for this area, silvery streams of water run down the cracks and grooves.
Tourists began to visit Ayers Rock only in the middle of the last century, after the construction of the highway through this area was completed. 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!

Most of the tourists arriving on the Australian mainland tend to visit the world-famous Sydney Opera House, watch kangaroos and koalas, or go diving at the Bolshoi barrier reef. All these attractions definitely deserve the attention of tourists and vacationers from all over the world. But there is another place here, which in last years becomes a particularly popular tourist destination.

450 km from Alice Springs (often called the middle of Australia - it is located in the center of the motorway and railway connecting northern and southern part mainland) and 18 km from the resort of Yulara (here is tourist area and Ayers Rock Airport) is one of the main historical natural attractions of the Australian continent - Uluru rock. Also known as . This is the largest rock in the world, which is a pure monolith (that is, solid stone). In addition, Uluru is also one of the oldest geological formations, dating back to the Archean era (the age of the rock is about 680 million years).

The size of Ayers Rock is amazing. 348 m high, 1.6 km wide and 2.4 km long. The circumference is about 9.4 km. The location of Uluru is also unusual. The rock rises in the middle of a vast desert plain, which makes it even more majestic and grandiose against the background of the surrounding landscape. When you look at Ayers Rock from a distance of several hundred meters, it seems perfectly smooth. But as soon as you get closer, a completely different picture emerges before your eyes. The monolith is completely covered with cracks, furrows and notches, which nature itself has created over millions of years.

Strong winds, temperature fluctuations (during the day there is unbearable heat, and cold at night) and heavy rains created a natural "drainage system" on the surface of Uluru, through which flows of moisture rush to the foot of the cliff. Here, below, there are water sources that allow some aboriginal tribes and dozens of animal species (possums, kangaroos) and plants (eucalyptus, acacia) to exist in this desert area. According to archaeological excavations, Aboriginal tribes already lived in these places more than 10 thousand years ago.

But all these features would hardly make Ayers Rock one of the most famous symbols of Australia, which attracts more than 500 thousand tourists every year. The Uluru rock has another quality, for which it was nicknamed the "chameleon rock".

The rock-monolith gained the widest fame due to its unique feature– change color throughout the day, depending on the weather and time of day. Moreover, Uluru does not just darken or brighten, depending on the lighting, but completely changes color - from brown to fiery red, from lilac to blue, from yellow to lilac. That is why she is often compared with a real professional in disguising the animal world - a chameleon. Just imagine how the ancient tribes living at the foot of Ayers Rock reacted to such a color representation.

In fact, all this magic is easily explained. Mineral composition Uluru is represented by arkose sandstone (with impurities of quartz and feldspar). He is the main culprit in changing the color of the monolith, depending on the weather and lighting. In addition, as a result of chemical analysis, iron oxide was found in the rock, which gives the rock a fantastic fiery color. At night, the rock looks like a huge black silhouette, which in the early morning, under the first rays of the sun, turns purple, then red, pink, and yellow-orange by afternoon. Uluru looks especially unusual when it rains, in cloudy weather, showing a cold lilac-blue gamut of shades. They say that you can photograph Ayers Rock without a break. And all the pictures will be different from the rest.

Origin rock Ayers Rock

Around the formation of a stone block in the middle of an endless Australian desert There were many rumors, assumptions and conjectures. Scientists, explorers and travelers have put forward dozens of theories, many of which are simply fantastic. Some time ago there was a theory according to which Uluru is part of a meteorite that once fell in these places. And only recent research has been able to shed light on the origin of the Ayers Rock monolith.

Thousands of years ago, in the middle of the salt lake Amadius (which today dries up and loses its area), there was a large Mountain chain Peterman, which is, in fact, an island. So, the Uluru rock was once part of this mountain range, which almost completely disappeared under the influence of natural forces. According to scientists, Ayers Rock in its "structure" resembles icebergs plowing the waters of the Northern Arctic Ocean. After all most of rocks are under the surface of the earth. Somewhere at a depth of 6 km.

The history of the discovery of Uluru

No less interesting is the history of the development of these places. The first European traveler who saw with his own eyes grandiose creation of Australian nature was the Englishman Ernest Giles, who emigrated to Australia with his family in 1850. It happened in 1872 when an explorer spotted Ayers Rock from the shore of Lake Amadius. The monolith was located about 40 km from the traveler, but the discoverer did not manage to get to it.

He nevertheless conquered the summit of Uluru a year later, but he no longer became the first. Before him, another traveler, William Goss, had already climbed the chameleon rock. It was he who named the rock Ayers Rock, after the future prime minister of Australia (at that time it was "fashionable" to name natural monuments in honor of statesmen).

Aboriginal legends and mysteries of Uluru rock

No other symbol of Australia is surrounded by as many legends and stories as the rock of Uluru. For the natives, this is not just a rock - it is sacred place which they treat with all honors and respect. They tell ancient legends about the origin and purpose of Ayers Rock.

At the top of Uluru there are giant dents, which the natives believe are the traces of a mythical creature - the huge dingo dog Kulpunya. The monster left dents when it tried to sneak up on the sleeping hunters to maul them. But people are lucky. They were saved by a kookaburra - a bird that woke people up in time with its cries.

According to one of the legends, Ayers Rock appeared in the "time of dreams", when our planet was just forming its current appearance. The rock served as a guide to one of the so-called "dream paths". It was built by the giants who also created man and the earth. They gave the earth to the water serpent Wonambi, who was the highest deity. Later, people multiplied and gave rise to all existing Aboriginal tribes. And all these tribes to this day annually return to the Uluru rock to pay respect to the gods. And the Anangu tribe, which considers itself the direct descendants of those ancient giants, is today recognized as the oldest human race on Earth.

Another legend says that two tribes lived near Uluru - hare kangaroos and python people. According to legend, the female python Kunya laid her eggs in one of the many caves in the rock of Ayers Rock. Later, natives hatched from these eggs. A tribe of venomous snakes originated from the brown snake Liru. They attacked a tribe of python people. The latter were able to escape thanks to the intervention of the goddess of the earth, Bulari, who was the patroness of the hare kangaroo tribe. The hare kangaroos themselves were also attacked by the descendants of Liru, but were able to escape thanks to the ability to gallop like a kangaroo. Bulari unleashed a poisonous cloud on her enemies. And the bodies of the defeated enemies were buried inside the Uluru rock, which, according to the natives, is empty inside. Numerous recesses that can be seen around the rock are considered by the locals to be footprints of the hare kangaroo tribe.

According to other legends, inside the empty area, which is located inside the rock of Ayers Rock, there is a source of great energy. Another belief tells us about the water python, which was the owner of the rock. And on its slopes lived another hero of Australian myths - a black monitor lizard.

According to one legend, Uluru is a living animal that, like an ostrich, stuck its head in the sand. On one of the days of the year, he straightens up to look around. We do not know how shamans learn about the approach of this day, but during this period festivities are held in honor of the "living rock". Perhaps that is why no Austrian native dares to climb to the top of Ayers Rock. After all, such an action is considered a terrible sacrilege that can anger the gods.

Pavda, tourists do not really believe in all these stories and confidently storm the steep slopes of Uluru. And, I must say, in vain. After all, as statistics show, every year several people die, never having overcome a one and a half kilometer climb up the mountain. And all accidents occur under very mysterious circumstances: due to heart failure.

Aborigines also do not recommend taking fragments of the monolith as souvenirs. And thousands of pebbles returned by tourists are proof of this. Often, along with a stone, people send letters in which they talk about the streak of misfortune that appeared in their lives after they picked up and brought a piece of Uluru with them. According to the management of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, of which Ayers Rock is a part, sometimes tourists return real cobblestones weighing 5-7 kilograms. And everyone complains about the losing streak.

Another mystery of Ayers Rock is the rare torrential rains that hit the desert once every few years. All of them go exclusively over the rock-monolith. Moreover, not a single weather forecaster has yet been able to predict the approach of precipitation in these places. Clouds appear from nowhere and disappear into nowhere. It is also interesting that the shamans of the local tribes always know about the approach of rain in a few weeks. During this period, the tribe begins to pull up to the sacred stone.

Caves, rock art and the connection to UFOs

The countless caves that adorn Ayers Rock have preserved a large number of rock carvings left by ancient tribes. Some of these underground corridors are just under a kilometer long. Inside you can find whole lakes that are filled with life-giving moisture during the rainy season. Not all caves and lakes are open to tourists, as they are sacred to local tribes.

If you study well rock art in the caves of Uluru, you can see the image of the sky god Wanjin, who, with his outlines, very much resembles some kind of astronaut. But the drawing is about 5000 years old. By the way, in Lately from Uluru-Kata Tjuta Park comes a large number of statements from eyewitnesses who allegedly observed UFOs over Ayers Rock. In any case, something similar to the plates of aliens. True, flying objects had the shape of a large triangle.

Ayers Rock for Tourists

It is interesting to observe the growing interest in the Uluru rock from tourists. In the first half of the last century (more precisely, from 1931 to 1946), only 22 travelers climbed to the top of the monolith rock. Such a small number is connected, first of all, with the absence of any roads.

But since 1950, when the construction of the highway was completed here, a stream of tourists who want to see with their own eyes Australian miracle, increased significantly. People travel here to this day in cars and planes. In 2000, the number of tourists exceeded 400 thousand people, and today the annual flow of people who want to see Ayers Rock exceeds half a million people.

Since October 26, 1985, Ayers Rock has been officially recognized as the property of the Anangu tribe. True, modern natives did not become "greedy", but decided to let tourists into these places. True, for the benefit of his tribe. Uluru was leased to the Australian government for 99 years. Annual rent is $75,000. In addition, Aboriginal people receive 20% of the cost of each ticket to Uluru-Kata Tjuta. The cost of a three-day ticket for one person is $25.

The most desperate tourists can try to climb to the top of Ayers Rock to enjoy beautiful view stretching for many kilometers around the desert. True, to walk 1.6 km of the way, you need to have remarkable health and strength. Indeed, in addition to necessary equipment, have to bear large stock water, without which the rise becomes deadly. Fortunately, metal railings were installed in the most difficult places.

But don't think that comfortable rest and Ayers Rock is incompatible. After all, there are luxury hotels nearby, ready to provide vacationers with all the necessary range of services. At the service of tourists is the five-star Ayers Rock Resort (Ayers Rock Resort) or the three-star Lost Camel (Lost Camel).

Uluru Rock has been part of the biosphere reserve which is included in the UNESCO heritage list. And ten years later, in 1987, Ayers Rock was officially recognized as a monument of world importance.

Uluru Waterfalls July 1st, 2014

This place is one of the main attractions of Australia. Uluru is a large sandstone rock formation whose orange color is due to the presence of iron oxide in its composition.

The rock has an oval shape with a diameter that ranges from 3 to 3.5 kilometers. Uluru is located almost in the very center of the green continent. She is listed as an object world heritage UNESCO. Every year, about half a million tourists come to this rock. However, only a few thousand manage to see unique phenomenon when streams of water fall in cascades from a rock. During the rainy seasons, from November to March, even in such a dry area, a considerable amount of precipitation falls. It is they who form these temporary waterfalls.

Let's take a closer look at this place...

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Uluru rock, or Ayers Rock, is a 350-meter oval-shaped rock. Uluru (accent on the last syllable) is located in the very center of Australia. Its length is more than 3.5 km, and its width is about 3 km. The base of the rock is indented with caves, and the caves themselves are decorated with ancient rock paintings and stone carvings.

Once in the center of the continent towered mountain range, which is an island in the middle of Lake Amadeus. Destruction products rocks were deposited at the bottom of the reservoir, forming a rock. By appearance Uluru resembles a giant elephant lying on its side. From afar, the monolith looks very smooth, but close up, irregularities, cracks and furrows are clearly visible on the surface.

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The desert climate is characterized by temperature fluctuations: the nights are cold here, and the midday heat reaches 40 degrees. 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 purplish red, then glows pink, and turns golden by noon. The fantastic play of colors continues all day long.

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In the 19th century Mount Uluru was first seen by European Ernest Giles. He noticed a rock from the shores of Lake Amadeus, 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 rock "Ayers Rock" after South Australian Secretary of State Henry Ayers. The name "Uluru" was given to the rock many centuries ago by local natives. This word means nothing. Archaeologists believe that the natives inhabited the areas adjacent to Uluru as early as 10,000 years ago. Thanks to the spouting spring and caves, Uluru has been a haven for ancient tribes for hundreds of years.

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Tourists began to visit this place only in the middle of the last century, after the construction of the highway through this area was completed. Since 1985, Uluru has officially belonged 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. The natives 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.

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Rainfall falling off the unusual rocky surface of Ayer Rock creates a beautiful spectacle, which was captured by photos of bad weather over Uluru National Park. During the bad weather on October 14, 7 cm of precipitation fell. This area receives 15.5 centimeters of precipitation per year.

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The photographs show how water flows down the rocky slopes of Ayer's Rock in waterfalls. This area is known as the driest point in the Red Center of Australia with a stone hill rising 350 meters above sea level, which the local Aborigines call Uluru.

The pictures were taken after a stormy night when it rained and about 7 centimeters of rain fell.

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The pictures show that the stone slopes under the influence of water flows and light change their color from dark burgundy to purple. A truly magnificent sight was the stone slopes of Ayers Rock with rolling streams of water, which was photographed for us by Peter Carroll.

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The eighth wonder of the world, Red Mountain, a sacred place - all these words are said about amazing grief located in Australia. Uluru or Ayers Rock is one of the recognizable symbols of the Green Continent. Uluru rock, resembling a huge resting elephant, is incredibly beautiful, and is rightfully considered one of the most remarkable natural wonders of our planet.

Chameleon Rock Ayers Rock

The fantastic red mountain is located 450 km from the Australian city of Alice Springs. Its height is 838 m, and its length is 3.6 km. This red sandstone is covered with cracks everywhere. Some of them reach a depth of 2m. It is the properties of sandstone that allow the rock to flow throughout the day. At dawn, the mountain appears dark purple, during the day it acquires a golden hue, and in the late afternoon it becomes completely dark.

Riddles of the ancient mountain

Millions of years ago, in the center of Australia, there was a mountain range that looked like an island. The rocks gradually collapsed, settled and formed a giant rock. It is interesting that Uluru lies in the middle, but hurricanes constantly rush around it, which bring down on the surroundings heavy rains. So deep cracks appear on the surface of the mountain. The alternation of heat and heavy rains causes the sandstone to shrink and then expand. This process does not stop.

sacred mountain Uluru

Scientists believe that amazing mountain is over 6 million years old! The base of the rock has evidence that tells about the life of ancient people. In found cave drawings, depicting ancient deities: the mistress of Mount Kuniya, the Brown Snake Lira, the patron of mammals, the Hare Kangaroo.

Place of pilgrimage for tourists

After the construction in the 1950s of the motorway leading to amazing rock, a real pilgrimage began for those wishing to see the eighth wonder of the world. But the terrain of Uluru's surface is so difficult, cracks and slippery places after rains, plus high temperatures, make it difficult to climb the mountain. In the first 15 years, only 22 people climbed up. The number is currently in the thousands.

Since 1985, Ayres Rock has been officially leased by the Anangu tribe as a national park. Aborigines are interested in the development of tourism associated with the chameleon rock. They equipped a path along which you can climb up. There is a certain place where you can climb the rock. These precautions prevent accidents that have happened before. The scorching sun and bumps pose a danger to travelers. It is better to follow the advice of the conductors.

UNESCO recognized the sacred rock of Uluru as the Eighth Wonder of the World and added it to the World Heritage List. It is difficult to imagine Australia without the famous Red Mountain, which can often be seen on the covers of guidebooks and photo albums about the most interesting places planets.

Mount Uluru in Australia photo

Australia, Uluru (348 m)

The natives who own the lands of Uluru-Kata Tjuta have long called for local authorities ban tourists from climbing Mount Uluru (the world's largest rock monolith Ayers Rock in Australia), which they consider sacred. Despite protests local residents, annually about 200 thousand tourists, including climbers, make ascents.

Since Uluru was opened for climbing in the 1950s, 50 people have died trying to climb it. Unfortunately, many tourists try to conquer it without any experience.

The height of the monolith of the mountain is 348m, and the diameter is 9.4 km. This national park was twice listed as a World Heritage Site by the UN - in 1987 as natural monument, and in 1994 - as a cultural memorial. Uluru is also considered the 8th wonder of the world. The first European Gosse saw this mountain in July 1873. He noticed through the fog in the middle of the desert a giant rock of a bizarre shape and unforgettable beauty. He climbed on top of her barefoot and said, This rock every time I look at it, it seems to me even more amazing.”.

Geologists believe that Uluru is at least 600 million years old and consider it the world's largest sandstone monolith. Only the top of the dome protrudes to the surface, and the monolith itself lies at a depth of several hundred meters, hidden by sediments that formed the surrounding plain.

For a long time, the rock was called Ayers Rock, but gradually returned to the original name "Uluru". national park Uluru Kata Tjuta was founded in 1958 as Ayers Rock National Park and renamed Uluru National Park in 1977. In 1985, the land was returned to its original owners, the local Aborigines. A trained rock climber, a mountaineer, is able to climb Uluru, but the indigenous Australians consider rock climbing on the massif as a terrible sacrilege. The huge dome, built of ancient sandstones, plays an important role in the mythology of the natives. Each crack, depression, bend has a special meaning. Indigenous Australians are opposed to even hiking Uluru and say that those who climb the mountain will not be lucky in later life. But despite these laws, there is hiking trail to Uluru, well equipped and trodden. At the foot of the mountain there are signs warning that climbing can be dangerous. hot sunny weather the air temperature can exceed + 36 degrees, and in the rain the slopes of the mountain become too slippery.

The hiking trail to Uluru is equipped with special railings

The Australian authorities have decided to ban climbing Mount Uluru (Ayers Rock). The protest was presented to the authorities by the leaders of the indigenous people of Uluru-Kata Tjuta, and its purpose is to protect the sacred mountain from vandals. Most tourists come to Uluru not to climb, but to admire the beauties there. Currently, only 20% climb the mountain. However, tourist and sports activity in the area is gradually increasing. The Aboriginal plan calls for limiting the number of people wishing to climb the mountain to 35% of all climbers who come here, otherwise insisting on a complete ban on climbing the sacred mountain. Indigenous communities and tour operators have already started looking for alternative solutions to visit the mountain without touching its surface.

Mount Uluru has another name - Bright heart of Australia:

As the rays of the setting sun illuminate the summit of Uluru, the giant monolith presents a breathtaking sight. Aborigines believe that the rock has not changed a bit since the time of Dzhugur ("Time of Dreams"). On close range the rock demonstrates the grace of forms, the creators of which were wind and rain.