Uluru, Uluru – Kata Tjuta (Ayers Rock – Mount Olga) National Park - Northern Territory (Central Australia)

After more than four years out of uni I made the crazy decision to return to full time study.  As a bit of a last hurrah before knuckling down to I decided to take 5 weeks off of work before the semester starts and go on a few little adventures.  I figured I’d have a lot less time to do these kind of things for a while so I might as well make the most of it while I can. 

Part of that time included spending about a week in Central Australia.  I’ve visited Alice and the surrounds briefly a couple of times in the past but never had much time for a good look around.  There is something very alluring about the juxtaposition of the dry, bright red dirt and soft moss green spinifex grass against the vibrant blue sky there, and there are so many amazing natural wonders to be seen in the area so I’ve been keen for a while to get back.  Fortunately I managed to convince my mate James that the place was worth a look in and he agreed to come along for the ride.  He lives in Adelaide and myself in Darwin, so we both met in the middle and hired a car. 

The base walk at Uluru

One of the things I’d been most looking forward to doing while there was to getting back and seeing ‘The Rock’ again.  I’d visited only briefly back in 2010 when I did a road trip from Adelaide to Alice with a friend.  James and I arrived in Alice Sunday arvo on Australia Day and after celebrating in traditional Aussie style we hit the road Monday afternoon.  It was pretty late in the evening by the time we arrived at Yulara (52J GT 00055 06502) – the little tourist town situated near the entrance to Uluru – Kata Tjuta (Ayers Rock – Mount Olga) National Park.  We had stopped off at Rainbow Valley and Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserves on the way down.  Yulura is the closest you can stay to Uluru as there is no camping allowed inside the park these days.  You also have to pay an entry fee to get in.  It’s $25 for a three day pass or about $32 to get an annual pass.  I decide to go the annual pass option...you never know, I might get back there this year?

For a couple reasons tourists are dissuaded from climbing Uluru.  The path of the climb is said to follow the traditional route taken by the ancestral Mala men when they arrived at ‘The Rock’.  Out of respect for the Mala story the traditional owners do not make the climb.  The Traditional Owners have voiced concern about possible damage caused by tourists undertaking the climb and fears that their traditions and culture may be compromised as a result.  The climb can also be pretty dangerous.  However at this stage the climb still remains open except in situations where the danger is increased.

“That’s a really important sacred thing that you are climbing... You shouldn’t climb.  It’s not the real thing about this place.  The real thing is listening to everything.  And maybe that makes you a bit sad.  But anyway that’s what we have to say.  We are obliged by Tjukurrpa to say.  And all the tourists brighten up and say ‘Oh I see.  This is the right way.  This is the thing that’s right.  This is the proper way: no climbing’.” – Kunmanara (Traditional Owner)

Note: Tjukurrpa is the traditional law of the Anangu, the traditional owners of Uluru and the surrounds.

After the late night it was about 9:30 in the morning before James and I made it out to the base of Uluru.  I recognise that it makes me a bit of a dick but I was disappointed when we arrived to see a sign saying that the climb was closed after 8am, though in hindsight it’s a pretty sensible decision not to let people start the ascent after that time.  I know it’s even worse that I know the reasons why the Traditional Owners don’t want people to climb – I can’t even argue ignorance to their plea.  But as someone who loves adventures and is always longing to see over the next hill or around the next corner how could I not climb the massive monolith while the offer still stands.  When George Leigh Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Everest he replied simply ‘Because it’s there’.  I’m certainly no Mallory but I can understand and appreciate the statement.  Yes, like I said I know I’m a dick.

So instead of the climb we decided to entertain ourselves that morning by doing the 10.6 km walk around the base of Uluru with a couple of the shorter walks thrown in for good measure.  As you walk around you can see the black trails down the rock face where temporary waterfalls appear when it rains but when we were there is was very dry and very hot.  Fortunately we’d come prepared with our Camelbaks and hats and sunscreen and sunglasses but all that garb still does nothing to insulate you against the oppressive heat. 

Aboriginal children swimming in Mutitjulu Waterhole

Interpretative signage along the walk also highlights areas of particular significance to the Traditional Owners as well as art sites.  My favourite spot though was a place called Mutitjulu Waterhole (52J GS 045644 94616).  There are a few other waterholes around the base but this was by far the largest and is the most reliable water source.  All of the waterholes have motion sensors overlooking them to detect entry and I overheard a tour guide remark that if you are caught swimming you will cop a fine of up to $4,000.  However we arrived to see a group of about 15 Aboriginal kids swimming there and performing crazy jumps and dives.  The little smartie pants had stuck a hat over the motion sensor.  They were clearly having a lot of fun and loved the attention from the tourists.  They upped their antics, dancing and singing and diving in procession when a bus load of people came to join James and I watching the show.  I would have loved to have jumped in with them but a $4,000 fine would have significantly upped the cost of the trip.

 

After the walk we returned to our hotel for a while to escape the heat.  In the evening we drove back out to the sunset viewing area (52J GS 01598 96577) early and set up a little possie.  I’m pretty sure everyone who rocked up later was a little jealous.  We had a table set out with citronella candles and sat back drinking wine and eating cheese and crackers and apricots dipped in chocolate while music played through portable speakers as we watched Uluru change from orange to red to purple.  Who needs to spend $185 per person on the Sounds of Silence dinner when you have that!

Uluru sunset viewing area

The ascent up Uluru

The next morning was take two on our rock climb attempt (god you’re a dick Lisa).  We got up before the crack of dawn and drove around to the sunrise viewing area first (52J GS 07687 92745).  I was surprised at how ridiculously packed it was there.  There must have been about three bus loads of people as well as a dozen car fulls.  It did have a slightly negative impact on the serenity of the situation but it was still worth a look.  By 6:40 we had commenced our ascent.  For those of you who haven’t seen Uluru in the flesh she is pretty high (346 metres) and pretty steep.  It certainly gave our calf muscles a decent workout.  You need to have a moderate level of fitness if you want to attempt the climb otherwise you could easily get yourself into a spot of trouble.  The sign at the start of the climb explicitly states that if any of your possessions blow off you should not try and retrieve them, very wise advice.  About 35 tourists have already died doing the climb by attempting such things, and dying would be a pretty crappy way to end a holiday. 

The first half of the climb is by far the hardest but a long chain attached to a series of upright poles has been erected to help the tourists out.  The chain terminates at a place appropriately nicknamed ‘Chicken Rock’ (52J GS 03823 95233) since a lot of people reach it and decided they have had enough so they head back down.  What they apparently don’t realise is that the climb gets a whole lot easier after that.  Also the view from the top is breathtaking.  After Chicken Rock the path is marked by a series of white dashes painted on the rock.  The path terminates at a cairn in the centre (52J GS 04556 95306) and you are not allowed to proceed any further.  From the top you can see clearly over to the undulating hills of Kata Tjuta and other landforms in the distance. 

James and I at the top

The climb back down is unfortunately just as rough on the old legs as going up but it’s still well worth a look once.  The way I see it, in a day or two your legs will stop hurting but for the rest of your life you will remember what it felt like when you reached the summit.  I did cheat a bit though on the way down.  After the chain ended I decided to slide part of the way down on my bottom.  But it was only after arriving back at the hotel that I discovered the substantial hole that had worn through the seam of my pants.  I didn't mind too much though, it's reasons like that that I usually choose to wear  my $7.50 K-mart leggings out bush.  I must have been through half a dozen pairs by now getting into mischief.   

A bloke by the name of William Christie Gosse also thinks the view from the top is worth the pain.  He was the first white person to climb the rock, back in 1873.  Gosse is quoted as saying 'after walking and scrambling two miles barefooted, over sharp rocks, succeeded in reaching the summit (of Uluru), and had a view that repaid me for my trouble'.  It was Gosse that gave Uluru its other name - Ayers Rock.  He name the rock after Sir Henry Ayers who was the Premier of South Australia five times between 1863 and 1873.

Kata Tjuta unset and sunrise viewing areas

After packing up our gear at the hotel we drove out to Kata Tjuta, by that time it was 11:30.  The temperature was already well into the 40s and James had some wicked blisters coming up so we decided it probably wasn’t the best time to attempt the 7.4km, difficult grade walk though the rocks.  That would have to be a job for another day.  Lucky I got that annual pass.  We stopped at the sunset and sunrise lookouts there to take in the incredible view, then headed on our way up towards Kings Canyon for our next adventure.

Visited 28-29.01.2014