Sunrise at Uluru

Monday 5th January

Visitors to Uluru used to think the pinnacle of achievement was to climb Uluru, not realising that it was actually offensive to the local Anangu peoples as the Rock is sacred to them. Apparently 97% of tourists now choose not to climb and walk around the circumference, as is suggested, instead. Uluru is part of a National Park and rangers put up signs every day indicating whether or not it is safe to climb but some idiots ignore these warnings.

Uluru is 348 metres high and 9.4 kilometres around the base. Only about a third of it can be seen above ground level. We started our walk at 05:30 and within about ten minutes light from the sun was visible on the horizon. It took me about three and three quarter hours to complete the majority of the walk on my own, and then another hour and a quarter with our guide on the last section

The Rock is a peaceful place and, from the articles I’ve read and the information imparted by Reg, our guide, I think the significance to the Anangu people can be sensed, especially at the dawn of the day. The whole ambience of the place is powerful, from the spiritual effects to the changing colours, plant and bird life and the geological features - it was all inspiring.

Many of the trees around the area are desert oaks, which thrive in this environment and have adapted well to the dry environment. Once they become mature, they lose their inner, middle branches, so the centre becomes hollow and takes on an upside-down umbrella shape. Any rainwater can then drip down inside the trunk to keep the tree alive. This one has some pretty red flowers which are, in fact, the parasitic mistletoe.

Some of the vegetation on the rock itself was very precariously positioned.

The birds were quite abundant, especially on the south side of the rock and many of the smaller ones, thornbills I think, flew round in small flocks, gathering their breakfast of insects.

Many people, including me, have seen images of Uluru from a distance and recognise what might be called the “typical“ shape. As a geographer, I should have been prepared for huge differences at close quarters. Although the sides are almost vertical in many places and are often pretty smooth, the detailed image is one showing much weathering and erosion with large cracks, fallen boulders, huge gaping caves and smaller honeycombed areas on the sides.

Jean