Ayers Rock

1. Ayers Rock

2. Ayers Rock • Country: Australia • State: Northern Territory • Elevation:863 m (2,831 ft) • Prominence: 348 m (1,142 ft) • Coordinates: 25°20′42″S 131°02′10″E

3. Content • Uluru • Name • Description • Climate and Seasons • Fauna • Flora • Photo Gallery (1) • Photo Gallery (2) • Links

4. Uluru Uluru, also referred to as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. It lies 335 km (208 mi) south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; 450 km (280 mi) by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park. Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the area. It has many springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site. Content

5. Name The local Pitjantjatjara people call the landmark Uluṟu. This word has no particular meaning in their language, also known as Pitjantjatjara, but it is also used as a local family name by the senior Traditional Owners of Uluru. On 19 July 1873, the surveyor William Gosse discovered Uluṟu and named it Ayers Rock in honour of the then-Chief Secretary of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers. Since then, both names have been used, although Ayers Rock was the name used by most people. In 1993, a dual naming policy was adopted that allowed official names that consist of both the traditional Aboriginal name and the English name. On 15 December 1993, it was renamed "Ayers Rock/Uluru" and became the first officially dual-named feature in the Northern Territory. The order of the dual names was officially reversed to "Uluru/Ayers Rock" on 6 November 2002 following a request from the Regional Tourism Association in Alice Springs. Content

6. Description Uluru is one of Australia's most recognisable natural icons. The world-renowned sandstone formation stands 348 m (1,142 ft) high (863 m/2,831 ft above sea level) with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures 9.4 km (5.8 mi) in circumference. Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta have great cultural significance for the Aṉangu Traditional landowners, who led walking tours to inform visitors about the local flora and fauna, bush foods and the Aboriginal dreamtime stories of the area. Content

7. Climate and Seasons • The park receives an average rainfall of 307.7 mm (12.1 in) per year, and average temperatures are 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) in the summer and 4.7 °C (40.5 °F) in the winter. Temperature extremes in the park have been recorded at 45 °C (113 °F) during the summer and −5 °C (23 °F) during winter nights. UV levels are extreme most days, averaging between 11 and 15. • Local Aboriginal people recognise five seasons: • Piriyakutu (August/September) - Animals breed and food plants flower • Mai Wiyaringkupai (November/December) - The hot season when food becomes scarce • Itjanu (January/February/March) - Sporadic storms can roll in suddenly • Wanitjunkupai (April/May) - Cooler weather • Wari (June/July) - Cold season bringing morning frosts Content

8. Fauna Historically, 46 species of native mammals are known to have been living in the Uluru region; according to recent surveys there are currently 21. Aṉangu acknowledge that a decrease in the number has implications for the condition and health of the landscape. Moves are supported for the reintroduction of locally extinct animals such as Malleefowl, Common Brushtail Possum, Rufous Hare-wallaby or Mala, Bilby, Burrowing Bettong and the Black-flanked Rock-wallaby. Content

9. Flora • Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park flora represents a large portion of plants found in Central Australia. A number of these species are considered rare and restricted in the park or the immediate region. There are many rare and endemic plants at Uluru and Kata Tjuta. • The growth and reproduction of plant communities rely on irregular rainfall. Some plants are able to survive fire and some are dependent on it to reproduce. Plants are an important part of Tjukurpa, and there are ceremonies for each of the major plant foods. Many plants are associated with ancestral beings. • Flora in Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park can be broken into the following categories: • Punu – trees • Puti – shrubs • Tjulpun-tjulpunpa – flowers • Ukiri - grasses Content

10. Photo Gallery Uluru at sunset Climbing Uluru Content

11. Photo Gallery Uluru (helicopter view) Close up Content

12. Reference Material • Kata Tjuta, sometimes written Kata Tjuta (Kata Joota), and also known as Mount Olga (or colloquially as The Olgas), are a group of large domed rock formations or bornhardts located about 365 km southwest of Alice Springs, in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. • Pitjantjatjara is the name of both an Aboriginal people of the Central Australian desert, and their language. • Yankunytjatjara (also Yankuntatjara, Jangkundjara, Kulpantja) is an Australian Aboriginal language. • William Christie Gosse (1842–1881), explorer, was born in Hertfordshire, England and migrated to Australia with his father in 1850. In 1859 he entered the Government service of South Australia. • Anangu is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Pama-Nyungan family, spoken in the desert regions of western and central Australia. Content

13. Links • http://www.crystalinks.com/uluru.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uluru • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kata_Tjuta Content