Mantarur facts for kids

Mantarur is a hilly area located in the southwest part of the Northern Territory, Australia. It forms the southeastern end of the Olia Chain, which is a group of mountains.

Discovering Mantarur's Landscape

Mantarur is home to some interesting natural features. It includes a rocky hill called Butler's Dome, which is also known as Utanta in the local language. This dome stands 1102 metres above sea level, meaning it's 1102 meters higher than the average ocean surface.

Foster's Cliff

Close by, to the east, you'll find Foster's Cliff. This is a steep rock face made of granite, a very hard type of rock. Mantarur is located about 80 kilometers southwest of Kata Tjuṯa, another famous natural landmark.

Who Owns the Land?

Mantarur is on land belonging to the Pitjantjatjara people. This land is part of the Petermann Aboriginal Land Trust, which helps manage and protect Aboriginal lands. In the 1980s, a small family settlement called an outstation was set up here. It was built near a natural water source, a rockhole, on the western slopes. However, this outstation is no longer used.

Early Explorations of Mantarur

The Mantarur area was explored by Frank Rees George during a special trip between 1905 and 1906. His team was on a prospecting expedition, meaning they were searching for valuable minerals like gold.

Naming the Landforms

During his expedition, Frank Rees George gave names to several places in Mantarur. Butler's Dome is thought to be named after Richard Butler, who was a government minister in South Australia at the time. Foster's Cliff was named after R. W. Foster, who was in charge of public works in South Australia.

The Search for Gold

The expedition found small amounts of gold at Foster's Cliff. However, there wasn't enough gold to make mining worthwhile. Interestingly, this was the only place in the entire Petermann Ranges where any gold was found.