Uluru facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Uluru
Ayers Rock
Aerial view of Uluru in 2007
Highest point
Elevation	863 m (2,831 ft)
Prominence	348 m (1,142 ft)
Naming
Native name	Error {{native name}}: an IETF language tag as parameter {{{1}}} is required (help)
Geography
Uluru Location in Northern Territory Show map of Northern Territory Uluru Location in Australia Show map of Australia
Geology
Age of rock	550–530 Ma
Mountain type	Inselberg
Type of rock	Arkose
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
Criteria	v,vi,vii,ix
Inscription	1987 (11th Session)

Uluru ( Pitjantjatjara: Uluṟu), also known as Ayers Rock, is a huge sandstone rock in the middle of Australia. It is in the southern part of the Northern Territory. It is about 335 kilometers (208 miles) southwest of Alice Springs.

Uluru is a very important and sacred place for the Pitjantjatjara people. They are the Aboriginal people who have lived in this area for a very long time. They are known as the Aṉangu people. Around Uluru, you can find many springs, waterholes, rock caves, and ancient paintings. Uluru is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it is a special place protected for everyone to enjoy. Uluru and Kata Tjuta (also called the Olgas) are the two main features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.

Uluru is one of Australia's most famous natural landmarks. Many tourists have visited it since the late 1930s. It is also one of the most important Aboriginal sites in Australia.

What's in a Name?

The local Aṉangu people, who are the Pitjantjatjara people, call this landmark Uluṟu. This word is a special name. It does not have another meaning in their language. However, it is used as a family name by the older Traditional Owners of Uluru.

On July 19, 1873, a surveyor named William Gosse saw the rock. He named it Ayers Rock. He did this to honor Sir Henry Ayers, who was the Chief Secretary of South Australia at that time. Since then, both names have been used.

In 1993, a new rule was made. It allowed official names to have both the traditional Aboriginal name and the English name. On December 15, 1993, the rock was renamed "Ayers Rock / Uluru." It was the first place in the Northern Territory to have two official names. The order of the names was changed to "Uluru / Ayers Rock" on November 6, 2002. This happened after a request from a tourism group in Alice Springs.

About Uluru

Uluru is one of Australia's most famous natural landmarks. This sandstone rock stands 348 meters (1,142 feet) high. It rises 863 meters (2,831 feet) above sea level. Most of its huge size is actually underground. The rock has a total distance around its base of 9.4 kilometers (5.8 miles). Both Uluru and the nearby Kata Tjuta rock formation are very important to the Aṉangu people. They are the traditional people of this area. They lead walking tours to teach visitors about the local plants and animals. They also share stories about bush food and the Aboriginal Dreaming stories of the area.

Uluru is special because it seems to change color throughout the day and year. It glows red especially at dawn and sunset.

Kata Tjuta, also known as Mount Olga or the Olgas, is about 25 kilometers (16 miles) west of Uluru. Special viewing areas have been built with roads and parking. These spots give tourists the best views of both Uluru and Kata Tjuta at sunrise and sunset.

Panorama of Uluru around sunset, showing its distinctive red colouration at dusk.

Uluru's Geology

Uluru rock formations

Panorama from the top of Uluru, showing a typical gully

Close-up view of Uluru's surface, composed of arkose

Uluru is an inselberg. This word means "island mountain." It is a tall, isolated hill that rises suddenly from flat land in a hot, dry area. Uluru is also often called a monolith. This means a single, very large stone. Geologists usually avoid this word because it can be confusing. What makes Uluru amazing is how solid it is. It does not have many cracks or breaks. This is why it has lasted so long, while the rocks around it have worn away.

How Uluru Formed

Rain water flows off Uluru along channels marked by dark algae, forming small ponds at the base

Uluru is mostly made of a type of sandstone called arkose. This rock has a lot of a mineral called feldspar. It also has some conglomerate, which is rock made of pebbles and larger pieces. When the rock is fresh, it looks grey. But when iron in the rock mixes with oxygen from the air, it turns the outside a rusty red-brown color.

Scientists believe Uluru formed about 550 to 530 million years ago. It started as sand that was laid down by rivers and floods. This sand came from ancient mountains to the south. These mountains were much bigger than they are today. The sand layers were almost flat when they were first deposited. But later, about 400 to 300 million years ago, the land moved. This tilted the rock layers of Uluru to their almost vertical position we see today.

Animals and Plants of Uluru

Black-flanked rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralis)

In the past, 46 different kinds of native mammals lived near Uluru. Today, about 21 species are found there. The Aṉangu people know that fewer animals mean the land is not as healthy. They support bringing back animals that used to live there. These include the malleefowl, common brushtail possum, rufous hare-wallaby, bilby, burrowing bettong, and the black-flanked rock-wallaby.

The mulgara is a mammal that is listed as vulnerable. It mostly lives in a sandy area that stretches from Uluru to the park's northern edge. This area is also home to the marsupial mole, woma python, and great desert skink.

Trees at the base of Uluru

At least seven types of bats live in the park. They use caves and cracks in Uluru and Kata Tjuta to rest during the day. The park also has many different reptiles, with 73 species recorded. Four types of frogs are common at the base of Uluru and Kata Tjuta after summer rains.

The Aṉangu people still hunt and gather animals in faraway parts of the park. They mostly hunt red kangaroos, bush turkeys, emus, and lizards like the sand goanna.

Six types of mammals in the park were brought in by humans. These are the house mouse, camel, fox, cat, dog, and rabbit. These animals are found throughout the park. However, there are more of them near the water runoff areas of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

The plants in Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa National Park are a big part of the plants found in Central Australia. Many of these plants are rare or only found in this area.

Plants are very important in Tjukurpa, which are the Aṉangu people's spiritual stories. Ceremonies are held for each of the main food plants. Many plants are linked to ancestral beings.

Plants in Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa National Park are grouped into:

• Punu – trees
• Puti – shrubs
• Tjulpun-tjulpunpa – flowers
• Ukiri – grasses

Trees like the mulga and centralian bloodwood are used to make tools. These include spearheads, boomerangs, and bowls. The red sap from the bloodwood tree is used as a medicine for coughs and colds.

Some rare and endangered plant species are found in the park. Most of them, like adder's tongue ferns, grow in the wet areas at the base of Uluru. These areas are visited by many people and can be damaged by erosion.

Since Europeans first arrived, 34 types of foreign plants have been found in the park. Some, like buffel grass, were brought in to help areas damaged by erosion. This grass is now the most harmful weed in the park. Other plants, like burrgrass, were brought in by accident on cars and people.

Climate and Seasons

The park has a hot desert climate. It gets about 284.6 millimeters (11.2 inches) of rain each year. The average high temperature in summer (December–January) is 37.8°C (100°F). The average low temperature in winter (June–July) is 4.7°C (40.5°F). The hottest temperature recorded was 46°C (115°F) in summer. The coldest was −5°C (23°F) in winter. UV levels are very high from October to March.

Local Aboriginal people recognize five seasons:

• Wanitjunkupai (April/May) – Cooler weather
• Wari (June/July) – Cold season with morning frosts
• Piriyakutu (August/September/October) – Animals breed and food plants flower
• Mai Wiyaringkupai (November/December) – The hot season when food becomes hard to find
• Itjanu (January/February/March) – Sudden storms can happen

Aboriginal Stories and Traditions

The Aṉangu people, who are the traditional owners of Uluru, have many stories about how the world was created. They believe:

The world was once a flat place. None of the places we know existed until creator beings, who looked like people, plants, and animals, traveled across the land. Then, by creating and destroying, they shaped the landscape we see today. Aṉangu land is still home to the spirits of these many ancestral creator beings. They are called Tjukuritja or Waparitja.

There are different versions of these Aboriginal stories about how Uluru and its cracks were formed. One story says that Uluru was built by two boys playing in the mud after rain. When they finished, they traveled south. They fought, and their bodies became boulders on top of Mount Conner.

Another story tells of serpent beings who fought many wars around Uluru. Their battles left scars on the rock. A different story talks about two groups of ancestral spirits. They were invited to a feast but were distracted by beautiful Sleepy Lizard Women. They did not show up. The angry hosts then sang evil into a mud sculpture, which became the dingo. A big battle followed, and the leaders of both groups died. The earth itself rose up in sadness from the bloodshed, becoming Uluru.

The Australian government's environment website says:

Many...Tjukurpa such as Kalaya (Emu), Liru (poisonous snake), Lungkata (blue tongue lizard), Luunpa (kingfisher) and Tjintir-tjintirpa (willie wagtail) travel through Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. Other Tjukurpa affect only one specific area.

Kuniya, the woma python, lived in the rocks at Uluru where she fought the Liru, the poisonous snake.

People sometimes say that if you take rocks from Uluru, you will have bad luck. Many people who took rocks have tried to mail them back. They hope to remove this "curse."

History of Uluru

Petroglyphs on Uluru

Aerial view of Uluru

Early Human Life

Archaeological finds show that people lived in the Uluru area more than 10,000 years ago.

Europeans Arrive (1870s)

Europeans first came to the Australian Western Desert in the 1870s. Uluru and Kata Tjuta were first mapped by Europeans in 1872. This was during expeditions made possible by the building of the Australian Overland Telegraph Line. Ernest Giles and William Gosse were the first European explorers in this area. In 1872, Giles saw Kata Tjuta from near Kings Canyon. He called it Mount Olga. The next year, Gosse saw Uluru and named it Ayers' Rock. He did this to honor Sir Henry Ayers, who was a government leader.

European Settlement and Changes

More explorations happened to see if the area was good for pastoralism, which is raising animals like sheep or cattle. In the late 1800s, farmers tried to settle near the Aboriginal reserve. This led to more contact between the Aṉangu and white people. Sometimes, these interactions were difficult. Because of grazing animals and dry weather, native food sources became scarce. This competition for food caused problems. Later, in the 1930s, Aṉangu people started working with 'doggers' who hunted dingos. This introduced Aṉangu to European foods and ways of life.

Aboriginal Reserve (1920)

Between 1918 and 1921, large areas of South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory were set aside as Aboriginal reserves. These were safe places for nomadic people who had little contact with Europeans. In 1920, part of what is now Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa National Park became an Aboriginal Reserve.

Tourism Begins (1936–1960s)

The first tourists came to Uluru in 1936. In the 1940s, Europeans started to settle permanently in the area. This was partly to help Aboriginal people and partly to promote tourism. More tourism led to the first roads being built in 1948. Tour bus services started in the early 1950s. In 1958, the area that is now Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa National Park was separated from the Petermann Reserve. It was then managed by the Northern Territory Reserves Board and called Ayers Rock–Mount Olga National Park. By 1959, the first motels were built. An airstrip was also built near Uluru. In 1963, a chain was put in place to help tourists climb the rock.

Aboriginal Ownership Since 1985

On October 26, 1985, the Australian government gave ownership of Uluru back to the local Pitjantjatjara people. One condition was that the Aṉangu would lease it back to the National Parks and Wildlife agency for 99 years. They would manage it together. An agreement was made that tourists would stop climbing the rock, but this was later changed.

The Aboriginal community of Mutitjulu has about 300 people. It is located near the eastern end of Uluru. From Uluru, it is about 17 kilometers (11 miles) by road to the tourist town of Yulara. Yulara has about 3,000 people and is just outside the national park.

On October 8, 2009, the Talinguru Nyakuntjaku viewing area opened to the public. This project cost 21 million. It is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) east of Uluru. The Aṉangu traditional owners helped design and supervise the building. About 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) of roads and 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) of walking trails were built for the area.

Tourism at Uluru

Driving on Lasseter Highway from Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa National Park, April 2007

Building hotels and other tourist facilities close to Uluru in the 1950s caused environmental problems. In the early 1970s, it was decided to move all tourist facilities outside the park. In 1975, land was set aside for a new tourist area and airport called Yulara. This was about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) from Uluru. The campground inside the park closed in 1983. The motels closed in late 1984, when the Yulara resort opened. In 1992, the Yulara resort was sold and renamed Ayers Rock Resort.

Since the park became a World Heritage Site, the number of visitors grew to over 400,000 by the year 2000. More tourism helps the economy. But it also makes it harder to protect the cultural values and meet visitor needs at the same time.

Climbing Uluru

Climbers and a warning sign

On December 11, 1983, the Prime Minister of Australia, Bob Hawke, promised to give the land title back to the Aṉangu people. He also agreed to their plan, which included stopping tourists from climbing Uluru. However, the government later made climbing Uluru and a 99-year lease (instead of 50 years) conditions for giving the land back. The land was officially returned to the Aṉangu on October 26, 1985.

The local Aṉangu people do not climb Uluru. This is because it is very important spiritually to them. They ask visitors not to climb the rock. This is partly because the path crosses a sacred Dreamtime track. They also feel responsible for the safety of visitors. Until October 2019, the visitors guide said: "the climb is not forbidden, but we prefer that, as a guest on Aṉangu land, you will choose to respect our law and culture by not climbing."

In 2010, a report showed that just over one-third of all visitors to the park climbed Uluru. Many of these were children. A chain handhold was added in 1964 and made longer in 1976. This made the hour-long climb easier. But it was still a steep, 800-meter (0.5 mile) hike to the top. It could also be very windy. It was suggested that people drink a lot of water while climbing. People who were unfit, had vertigo, or other health problems were advised not to try it. Climbing Uluru was usually closed when there were strong winds at the top. At least 37 deaths related to climbing have been recorded. Between 2011 and 2015, about one-sixth of visitors made the climb.

The traditional owners of Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa National Park (Nguraritja) and the Australian government's Director of National Parks make decisions together about managing the park. Their plan for 2010–2020 said they should work towards closing the climb. It also said the climb should close if any of three things happened: there were "enough new visitor experiences," fewer than 20 percent of visitors climbed, or the main reasons for visiting were "cultural and natural experiences." Even though the second condition was met by July 2013, the climb stayed open.

Some controversial events on top of Uluru in 2010 led to new calls to ban the climb. On November 1, 2017, the Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa National Park board voted to stop climbing Uluru. After the ban was announced, more people came to climb. The ban started on October 26, 2019, and the chain was then removed.

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  Prince Charles and Diana, The Princess of Wales returning from photo session on Uluru, March 1983

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  Sign informing tourists that the climb is closed due to strong winds

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  Climbing of Uluru has been banned as of 26 October 2019

Taking Photos

The Aṉangu also ask visitors not to photograph certain parts of Uluru. This is because of their traditional Tjukurpa beliefs. These areas are used for rituals or ceremonies linked to gender. They are forbidden for Aṉangu of the opposite sex to those taking part in the rituals. The photo rule helps prevent Aṉangu from accidentally seeing pictures of these forbidden sites outside the park.

In September 2020, Parks Australia asked Google Australia to remove user-made images from the Uluru summit that were on Google Maps. Google agreed to this request. This was done to respect the wishes of the Aṉangu, Uluru's traditional owners, and the park's photo rules.

Images for kids

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  Tony Tjamiwa's map of Uluru

See also

In Spanish: Uluru para niños