Ayres Rock (now officially known as Uluru) is located in Australia’s Northern Territory and is its most famous natural landmark. Located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park it stands at 986 ft high and 5 miles around, also extending underground 1.5 miles, making it the second largest monolith in the world!
There is archaeological evidence found around the area that suggests that people settled here more than 10000 years ago. There are also Aboriginal paintings and prehistoric art painted on to some of the caves showing vital information such as the location of water. These pictures tell us stories and were painted for many reasons including religious purposes.
Perhaps the most fascinating thing about
Uluru is that it changes colour often, due to the light, the atmosphere and water, and in fact in June 2004 it changed from red to violet due to the water falls on the rocks! Uluru is actually the remains or an eroded mountain range made up of a coarse sandstone called Arkose in some places at least 2.5 km thick.
Today around 500,000 tourists visit Uluru every year. Many who visit often take home a piece of the stone as a souvenir, only to return it, as some claim it brings bad luck on them for steeling!
There are many tours around Australia that include a
visit to Uluru as it is so popular, this must see natural attraction should be included in any
Australia holiday.
