The Big Red Rock

The local Pitjantjatjara people call the landmark Uluru.
On 19 July 1873, the surveyor William Gosse discovered the landmark and named it Ayers Rock in honour of the then-Chief Secretary of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers. Since then, both names have been used, although Ayers Rock was the name used by most people.
In 1993, a dual naming policy was adopted that allowed official names that consist of both the traditional Aboriginal name and the English name. On 15 December 1993, it was renamed "Ayers Rock / Uluru" and became the first officially dual-named feature in the Northern Territory. The order of the dual names was officially reversed to "Uluru / Ayers Rock" on 6 November 2002 following a request from the Regional Tourism Association in Alice Springs.
Uluru is one of Australia's most recognisable natural icons. The world-renowned sandstone formation stands 348 m (1,142 ft) high (863 m/2,831 ft above sea level) with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures 9.4 km (5.8 mi) in circumference. Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta have great cultural significance for the Aṉangu Traditional landowners.
Uluru is notable for appearing to change colour as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight when it briefly glows red. Although rainfall is uncommon in this semiarid area, during wet periods the rock acquires a silvery-grey colour, with streaks of black algae forming on the areas that serve as channels for water flow.
The Aṉangu request that visitors do not photograph certain sections of Uluru, for reasons related to traditional Tjukurpa beliefs. These areas are the sites of gender-linked rituals, and are forbidden ground for Aṉangu of the opposite sex of those participating in the rituals in question. The photographic ban is intended to prevent Aṉangu from inadvertently violating this taboo by encountering photographs of the forbidden sites in the outside world


The caves are very sacred places - the are meeting places!











you can see the rainwater!












it's just so cool!







It's amazing were some plants will grow! There is still some evidence of ancient cave drawings, most have been ruined over the years though.






Above: little green beans, aboriginals still eat them today. Since it had recently rained food was plentiful and many of the desert plants were blooming

So many beautiful places around, up and down - everywhere we looked was stunning - many places still sacred to the aboriginals.













As the sun lowered in the sky the Rock changed colours dramatically! think Addison was also changing colours - the colour of red dirt. Also our dinner was really good - lots of fresh salads - yummy!












The crowds of people at the best viewing point were astonishing. Sunset was truly amazing and then we were back on the bus to head back to Alice Springs, we changed Addison into his pj's - gave him a major wipe down (red dirt red dirt). We would get back to the hotel at about midnight (Addison was sound asleep and then up again early in the morning)