Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a protected area located in the Northern Territory of Australia. The park is home to both Uluru and Kata Tjuta. It is located 1,943 kilometers (1,207 mi) south of Darwin by road and 440 kilometers (270 mi) southwest of Alice Springs, along the Stuart and Lasseter Highways. The park covers 1,326 square kilometers (512 sq mi) and includes features it is named after: Uluru and, 40 kilometers (25 mi) to the west, Kata Tjuta. Place on the list with UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Uluru is recognized as "Australia's most natural icon" and has become a focal point for Australia and the world's recognition of Australian Indigenous culture. The sandstone monolith stands 348 meters (1,142 ft) with mostly of its mass underground. For the Anangu (local indigenous peoples), Uluru is the name, and this "Rock" has a number of different attractions where many aboriginal creatures interact with the landscape and/or each other, some are even believed to still reside here. Kata Tjuta, which means "many heads", is a sacred place due to the awareness of what is considered very powerful and dangerous, suitable only for initiated men. It consists of a group of 36 conglomerate rock domes that date back 500 million years.
On August 17, 1980, two-month-old Azariah Chamberlain disappeared from the tent family and her body was reportedly taken by a dingo.
geography
geology
Close view from the crevice to Uluru
This dome-shaped rock is composed of conglomerate, a sedimentary rock consisting of cobbles and boulders various types rocks, including granite and basalt, cemented by a sandstone matrix. Cracks occur due to erosion, primarily water. Even though it is a dry area, the large area of these domes collects a lot of rainwater, which flows into steep waterfalls when it rains.
From a geological point of view, analysis of Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Watarrka national parks reveals an impressive history. 500 million years ago, the entire area was covered by an inland sea and over many centuries, sand and mud fell to the bottom of the sea, creating rock and sandstone. The domes of Kata Tjuta are eroded remnants of sedimentary rock from the seafloor, while Ulura is a relict of coarse-grained, mineral-rich sandstone called arkose.
Climate and seasons
The park receives an average rainfall of 307.7 mm per year. Extreme temperatures in the park have been recorded at 45 °C (113 °F) during the summer and -5 °C (23 °F) during winter nights. UV readings on the most extreme summer days reach between 11 and 15. While the Central Australian environment may seem frozen at first glance - a barren landscape backed by spectacular rock - closer inspection reveals a complex ecosystem full of life.
Aboriginal Australians recognize six seasons:
- Piryakatu (August/September) - animals breed and food plants flower
- Wiyaringkupai (October/November) - Indeed hot season when food becomes scarce
- Itanju- (January/February) sporadic storms may occur suddenly
- Wanitjunkupai (March) - Cooler weather
- Tjuntalpa (April/May) - Clouds roll in from the south
- Vari (June/July) - cold season resulting in frost
ecology
From a bird's eye view, Uluru shows a significant area.
The park occupies one of the most significant dryland ecosystems in the world. As a biosphere reserve under UNESCO Man and the Biosphere, it joins at least 11 other reserves in Australia and an international network aimed at conserving the world's major ecosystem types.
Biology
Flora
Wildflowers in color with Kat Tjuta in the background
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Flora Park represents much of the plant life found in Central Australia. Some of these species are considered rare and limited to the park or immediate area. There are many rare and endemic plants in Uluru and Kata Tjuta. A number of other species, while in other sections of central Australia, may be threatened in the park.
Desert flora is adapted to harsh conditions. The growth and reproduction of plant communities rely on irregular rainfall. Some plants are able to survive fire and some of them depend on it to reproduce. Plants are an important part of Tjukurpa, and there are ceremonies for each of the major plant products. Many plants are associated with ancestral beings. The collection of plant products remains a culturally important activity, strengthening traditional ties with the country and Tjukurpa.
Flora in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park can be categorized as follows:
- Punu - trees
- PUTI - shrubs
- Tjulpun-tjulpunpa - flowers
- Ukiri - cereals
Desert oak trees with Cat Tjuta in the background
The Anangu continue to hunt and gather animal species in remote areas of the park and on Anangu land elsewhere. Hunting is mainly confined to the red kangaroo, Australia's bustard, eme and lizards such as sand monitor and giant monitor.
The pressure exerted by introduced predators and herbivores on the original mammal fauna of Central Australia was a major factor in the extinction of about 40% of native species.
Of the 27 mammal species found in the park, six are introduced: the house mouse; camel ; fox; cat ; dog ; and rabbit. These species are distributed throughout the park, but their densities are greatest in the scour-rich areas of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Large quantity rabbits led to the introduction of a rabbit control program in 1989. This resulted in a significant reduction in the rabbit population, a noticeable restoration of vegetation and a reduction in predator numbers. Camels have been implicated in the decline of plant species, particularly the succulent species such as quandong. The house mouse is a successful invader of disturbed environments and habitats that have lost their rodent relatives. Subjective ratings of the cat and fox numbers were collected in conjunction with a rabbit control program. National threat emissions control programs can provide a framework for combating them. Anangu knowledge and tracking skills are indispensable in managing these introduced animals. Park rules prohibit visitors from bringing animals into the park unless they are guide dogs for the blind or deaf, or a permit is issued by the director of national parks.
The iconic birds of Ulura-Kat Tjuta National Park include the pied butcherbird, black-breasted buzzard, black double-breasted buzzard and crimson chat.
fire department
Fires have been part of the central management of desert lands for thousands of years, and have shaped the landscape, habitats, survival of animals and vegetation forms. Controlled burning typically occurs during the winter months due to cold weather, while wildfires mostly occur in early summer. They are usually started by lightning dry thunderstorms from the northwest. When storms arrive the weather is typically hot, dry and windy - ideal conditions for fires to rage. The damage can be very serious and widespread. Devastating bushfires burned much of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the luxury accommodation at Ayers Rock Resort was destroyed in 2002-03.
The traditional burning of the Uluru area stopped when the Anangu were driven out of the region in the 1930s. During the rains of the 1940s it was good and the vegetation flourished. The 1950 fire, fueled by fuel grown over the previous 20 years, destroyed about one-third of the vegetation of Ulura-Kat Tjuta National Park. The pattern repeated itself, and in 1976 two fires burned 76% of the park. During the same period, more species of medium-sized mammals became extinct around Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Today, most fires in the park are started by the following models of land management traditionally practiced by the Anangu. Traditional firefighting and land management skills enable the Anangu to burn in a manner that produces the desired results. These skills are vital to the conservation of the central Australian ecology.
events
General services
art and craft demonstrations, bush tucker sessions, plant walks and cultural presentations.
There are stands with photo collages, oral history sound panels, Pitäntätätära Interactives training, Soundscapes, videos and artifacts. Explanations are given in Pitjantjatjara, English, Italian, Japanese, German and French. Touching walls for the visually impaired ensures that messages are accessible to everyone. Entrance to the cultural center is free.
The Walkatjara Arts Center is owned and operated by local Aboriginal artists from the Mutitjulu community. Most weekdays, Walkatjara artists come to paint and work in the art studio and receive a percentage of the sales.
tourism
Driving - Lasseter Highway into Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
The development of tourism infrastructure adjacent to the base of Uluru, which began in the 1950s, soon produced adverse impacts on environment. A decision was made in the early 1970s to remove all accommodations associated with tourist sites and re-install them outside the park. In 1975, a reservation of 104 square kilometers of land outside the northern boundary of the park, 15 km from Uluru, was approved for the development of a tourist site and associated airport, to be known as Yulara. The park's campground was closed in 1983 and the resort finally closed in late 1984, coinciding with the opening of the Yulara resort. In 1992, the majority interest in Yulara Resort held by the Northern Territory Government was sold and the resort was renamed Ayers Rock Resort.
The list of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park ensures the park remains a world-class destination for both its cultural and natural heritage. Visitors will continue to have a unique cultural experience in the park and leave knowing that the park is managed according to cultural practices that date back tens of thousands of years.
Since the park was designated a World Heritage Site, annual visitor numbers have increased to over 400,000 visitors in 2000, with tourism development providing regional and national economic benefits. It also presents a constant challenge to balance the preservation of cultural assets and the needs of visitors.
There are a number of attractions and cultural tours at Uluru that offer walks that visitors can take around the park's main attractions. Base Walk is one of the the best ways see Uluru. Other walks surrounding Uluru include Liru Walk, Mala Walk and Kuniya Walk, while
Story
Why does this significant mountain on the land of the aborigines bear a completely “Russian” name?
Mount Kata Tjuta was named by Olga in 1872, in honor of her daughter Russian Emperor Nicholas I Grand Duchess Olga at the request of Baron Ferdinand von Müller. The gift was timed to celebrate the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary of Olga and her husband, King Charles I of Württemberg. On December 15, 1993, the dual name was officially recognized. As a result, Mount Olga was renamed “Mount Olga / Kata Tjuta”.
Overall, the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Park region is perfect place for tourists who want to get acquainted with the cultural heritage of the Aboriginal people of Australia. Here you can visit the cultural center and buy souvenirs, or go on a hike where your guide will be an aborigine.
National Park
When visiting the National Park, tourists find themselves in a land where red-brown mountains rise on a sandy plain, in a charming atmosphere of legends and secrets. Mount Olga is located 32 km from another wonder of Australia - Uluru (Ayers Rock), a monolith that is one of the most gigantic in the world.
The Kata Tjuta complex is recognized as the second local landmark, after Uluru. It is a group of rocks and stones, as if scattered in the middle of the desert. Olga is the most colossal and most southwestern mountain. Its height is 1069 m, and chemical composition resembles granite. Along Kata Tjuta there are tourist routes “Valley of the Winds” and “Olga Gorge”.
- Address: Lasseter Hwy, Uluru NT 0872, Australia
- Telephone: +61 8 8956 1128
- Website: http://www.parksaustralia.gov.au/uluru/
- Square: 1,326 km²
- Date of foundation: 1987
Sometimes it seems that there is some injustice in the fact that one country owns any wealth, attractions or monuments in quantities much greater than neighboring and other states. But if we talk about, how great it is that for the past decade the country’s authorities have been making a lot of efforts to preserve as much as possible intact everything that has been created by nature for millions of years. This country has a huge number of nature reserves and parks of various levels, such as the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
Geography and features of the National ParkUluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is located in the northern part of Australia, in the so-called Northern Territory. Geographically, to the north of the park there is a city (distance 1431 kilometers), and 440 kilometers to the northeast is the city. The total area of the park is 1326 sq km. Important components of the park are the famous mountain, as well as Mount Kata Tjuta, the distance to which from the mentioned rocks is 40 kilometers. When visiting the park, be aware that the Great Central Road passes through it.
When visiting the park, you should keep in mind that in summer the average temperatures are around 45 degrees Celsius, and in winter around -5 degrees. As for precipitation, approximately 307.7 mm falls per year. It is noteworthy that the aborigines of the Anangu tribe live on the reserve territory of the park, most who work as guides, guides and excursion guides for tourist groups around the park.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is very important for its country: it was included in the global network of biosphere reserves in 1977, and since 1987 it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
What is interesting about the reserve?The word park is poorly associated with the actual landscape of a protected area – a desert. The characteristic color of the rocks is red; geologists believe that this is due to the presence of iron oxide in the rocks. By the way, the rocks of Uluru and Mount Kata Tjuta are two hills of the same formation. According to geological exploration data, they were formed at one time in the form of a large mountain range, but so far it comes to the surface only with these two hills.
All the beauty of the plant world can be observed in winter and after the rainy season: during this period, the time of flowering of all the green diversity comes. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is home to almost every type of flora that inhabits Central Australia. Together with the animals they meet, they create a truly unified biological cycle. Interestingly, some species of plants and animals are still used by local aborigines in the form of medicines or food.
Please note that behavior and appearance tourists must strictly comply with local regulations: serious monetary fines are imposed for violating them.
How to get to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park?
Since the red rocks attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists back in the second half of the 20th century, since 1975, a real Yulara resort with all the benefits of civilization arose, 15 kilometers from Uluru, and an airport near it. You can fly here from almost anywhere large city Australia. In Yulara you can rent a nice hotel room, visit restaurants and cafes, swim in the pool and rent a car or buy tickets on a group tour.
There are several official routes throughout the park. Thanks to this, you can view all the rock formations and local landscapes from the most advantageous side. For example, the “Main Trail” route introduces you to the Ulira rock, but local aborigines consider it sacrilege to climb the mountain itself, incl. If you have the desire, you will have to do it yourself, there is a path. And the “Valley of the Winds” trail leads only to Mount Kata Tjuta; two good viewing platforms have also been built here. At the entrance to the park, at the cultural center, you can purchase handmade souvenirs from the Aboriginal people and learn about their culture, history and traditions.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is located in the Northern Territory, 1,431 kilometers south of Darwin and 440 kilometers southwest of Alice Springs. The park covers an area of 1,326 km². Parts of the park are the famous cliffs of Uluru, as well as Kata Tjuta, located 40 kilometers west of Uluru ( Mount Olga).
The average temperature in the summer months in the park is 45 °C, the average winter temperature is −5 °C. About 307.7 mm of precipitation falls annually.
The territory of the park is inhabited by Anangu aborigines, many of whom currently work as guides and tour guides for tourist groups.
The park is located near the center of the mainland, in a zone of arid ecosystems, on lands that have long belonged to the indigenous tribes of Paitiantyatjar and Yankunytjatjara, better known as Anyangu. According to archaeological data, they have lived on these lands for at least 22,000 years.
Undoubtedly, the main attractions that created the world fame of the park are two giant blocky formations, rising to a height of several hundred meters above the vast flat expanses of tropical semi-deserts. It was they who gave the name to the park. It is important that geological formations are considered not only as natural monuments, but also as especially valuable sacred objects of the Anyangu people, i.e. as the cultural heritage of the country's Aboriginal people. These people traditionally worship them as evidence of a visit to the Earth at the time of its creation by aliens from outer space, whose descendants they consider themselves to be. Anyangu are the guardians and bearers of a unique ecological culture, which allows them to conduct sustainable environmental management in extreme natural conditions for many millennia. It is curious that a number of elements of this traditional culture are used in modern practice national park management. In particular, this applies to the artificial firewood widely practiced here.
More famous is Mount Uluru, which has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Australia in the world, also called Ayers Rock in the European manner. It is a huge rounded monolith of red sandstone, the length of which is 9.4 km in diameter and 340 m in height. Numerous caves at the base of this mountain formation are something like galleries of rock art, which are unique examples artistic creativity and evidence of the deep cultural traditions of the Anyangu people.
32 km west of Uluru is the second local unique site of world significance - Kata Tjuta, which is a group of 36 majestic dome-shaped formations with very steep slopes. The largest of them is Mount Olga, 500 m high. The total area is about 3,500 hectares. Like Uluru, the Kata Tjuta complex is a sacred site of the Anyangu people, but at the same time has a higher sacred status. As a result, the natives are in no hurry to share with the pale-faced secret knowledge about Kata Tjuta, which still holds many secrets.
It is possible that it is the cult of Uluru and Kata Tjuta that explain the phenomenon of the amazing stability of the Anyangu people, which created the unique philosophical teaching “Chuk-ur-pa”. This doctrine explains the origin of life and all living creatures on earth; it became the basis for the regulation of all aspects of the life of local aborigines.
The first Europeans visited these places in 1870. In 1872, maps of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta region were compiled. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, European farmers began to settle here, which led to numerous clashes between them and the aborigines. In 1920, a reserve for Aboriginal people was created on part of the territory of the current national park. Tourists began visiting the area around Uluru-Kata Tjuta starting in 1936. In 1976, Australia deeded the park to Aboriginal people, who then leased the park to the Australian government for a period of 99 years. In 1987, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 1995 the park received Picasso gold medal- UNESCO's highest award "for the conservation of nature and culture of the Anangu aborigines."
The behavior of tourists in the national park is strictly regulated. Very large monetary fines are provided for violations.
According to geologists, on the site of the current Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park there was a sea approximately 500 million years ago. Over hundreds of thousands of years, sediments of sand and pebbles were created at its bottom, which eventually turned into sandstone. According to the latest research, Uluru is not a separate hill, but is part of a mountain range that currently lies below the surface of the earth and extends outward only to Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Both of these hills are connected underground into a single geological formation.
The red color of the rocks is caused by the mineral hematite (iron oxide) that is part of the rock.
The landscapes of the park are sandy plains and dunes, covered with sparse vegetation of grasses, low-growing shrubs and rare trees - mainly acacias and desert oaks. In total, about 400 plant species have been recorded here. The fauna is represented by 150 species of birds, many reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Several species of rare mammals live here, uniquely adapted to harsh arid conditions. The most characteristic species are reptiles such as the giant desert skink and the largest lizard in Australia, reaching a length of 2.5 m. The animals and plants living here create a single biological cycle. Some of them are used by Aboriginal people as traditional medicine or for cooking.
Since 1985, park lands under the control of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Aboriginal Land Trust have been leased to the federal National Parks Directorate. Direct management of the park is carried out by a special Council, the majority of which belongs to local landowners from among the Anyangu people. This form of government is a consequence of a compromise on the part of the Union government, whose attempts to Europeanize the local aborigines were a complete failure. The Anyangu won a long, grueling struggle for the right to remain themselves in their land and lead a traditional way of life. The basis of this right was their inalienable ownership of the land, which became a place of real pilgrimage for tourists.
Photo: Copyright Getty
The sights of Australia will captivate even the most fastidious foreigner.
Most often, when they are mentioned, the image of the mountain slopes of Uluru and Kata Tjuta comes to mind.
Mount Urulu itself is truly unique. It stands in the middle of a plain with sparse vegetation.
The rounded surface of the reddish rock resembles a huge sleeping elephant.
The Urulu rock has been “living” in Australia for almost 680 million years. It is located in the north of the continent near the city of Alice Springs. Its dimensions are quite significant: length - 3.6 kilometers, width reaches 3 kilometers.
In the distant past, on the site of the rock there was Lake Amadius, in the center of which there was an island. Over time, the rocks of the island fell off and sank to the bottom of the lake, forming the outline of an elaborate stone cliff. When you look at Uluru from a distance, its surface appears perfectly smooth. But as soon as you get closer to it, you can see that the rock is riddled with cracks, irregularities and grooves.
Uluru is located in the desert and is constantly exposed to winds, hurricanes and heavy rains. There are sharp temperature changes here: from sweltering heat in the daytime to teeth-crushing cold at night. It is for this reason that cracks form on the surface of the “stone giant”.
Uluru is more than just a rock. The rock consists of red sandstone, thanks to which it can change colors. This can be observed in the morning and evening hours. In the morning, the mountain takes on a purple hue, and when the sun rises high in the sky, Uluru appears radiantly golden. Such color shifts of the rock can be observed throughout the day.
The famous Australian landmark was first seen by Ernest Giles, and after a year, Uluru was conquered by the Great Briton William Goss. It was he who gave the rock a new name - Ayers Rock - in honor of the Prime Minister of South Australia. This led to the first influx of tourists. But the local Aborigines, who owned the rock, were outraged that it was being used as a tourist attraction. They claim that Uluru is sacred and gives strength to a person if one “communicates” with it correctly. Local aborigines come to the rock to perform a ritual and worship the spirit of the earth.
But the rock continues to be used as a local landmark. Not far from the mountain, a village service has been organized to provide housing for visiting guests. You can not only look at the Uluru rock, but also climb it. On its surface there is a narrow path with a fence, which allows you to hold on during the ascent. From the top of Uluru there is a beautiful panorama of the desert area. People come here to admire the amazingly beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
In general, Kata Tjuta is 36 dome-shaped rock formations. Each rock has its own size. You can see layers in Kata Juta sedimentary rocks. It is believed that they appeared during the Great Flood, when waters rose above the earth and gradually flooded it. Erosion from Noah's flood gave the tops of the rocks a rounded shape. The amazing outlines of the domes of Kata-Juta can only be explained by the great events that took place in the world millions of years ago and which are described in the Bible.
Uluru and Kata Tjuta are amazing creations of nature that deserve admiration. More than 100 species of plants grow here, 24 species of mammals and 72 species of reptiles have been recorded. Here you can not only look at Australian sights, but also learn the history of the local Aborigines.
Video: Uluru and Kata Tjuta
