As previously mentioned, Uluru is approx 450kms away from Alice but fortunately only about 60km from a free camping area known at Curtin Springs, one of many roadhouses along the way that provide fuel and basic supplies. It was from here where our adventure into Uluru & Kata Tjuta National Park would commence wrapped in extra layers, trousers and fleeces!
The enormity of "The Rock" cannot really be described. It's simply enormous and you can see it looming in the distance for probably 10kms before you enter the park. Many mistake the equally impressive but far more remote Mt Connor as Uluru on the way in and its not really suprising! (Mt Connor is actually 3x the size of Uluru!)
There's a $25ea fee to enter the Park that causes many to view the access to Uluru as a purely commercial arrangement that supposedly generates massive annual profits for the Traditional Owners. This gives 3 days unlimited access and cannot be bypassed as a great big checkpoint stops each vehicle in turn. For those in Poole, think the Sandbanks Ferry checkpoint but several times larger!!! 
A cultural centre sits in the shadow of Uluru that provides the visitor with the background into its creation, its position in today's culture, the wider landscapes and how the local Aboriginal people still use the land to forage, collect and harvest 'bushtucker'. Videos, factsheets, testimonials and photos provide an interactive interpretative display that itself can take a few hours to see. Amber, however, found the gift shop first and came back $30 lighter but with a locally made beanie hat to protect from the cold!!
One of the lures to Uluru is the ability to "climb the rock". Many see this as a given right due to the $25 entrance fee and seem to treat the place like a theme park. It's a very steep climb that can take over 2hrs to reach the 300m + summit that can provide the climber with panoramic views of the area and supposedly the curvature of the Earth!
The TOs do request that people don't climb it due to cultural, safety and conservation concerns. The climb is not only very steep where people have been killed, but also marks the route of an Aboriginal creation story so is held in very high regard. The climb's path is also being eroded away faster than anywhere else at Uluru that is adding to the safety concerns.
Our focus for Uluru was the 9.7km Base Walk estimated to take 4 hours. Suckers for punishment I reckon...but it did change our understanding and knowledge of the place. Why? It allowed literally another side of the "Rock" to be discovered.
The smooth, flat, curved perception that everyone sees on the brochure was swapped with a rough, rusty, flaky, fissured view that housed waterholes, arches, caves and many sacred sites. The jagged rocks provided some areas with enough shade they never receive direct sunlight!
It was a surreal experience to be walking around Uluru's base knowing the distance and remoteness from home to the point where we had to pinch ourselves just to make sure. WE WERE WALKING AROUND ULURU!
It was a dusty and stoney environment that drained our water supply and was the first time the importance of carrying and drinking water came to our immediate thoughts. It was a good job half way round they have a tap! Talking of water, someone somewhere has obviously had a rather pesimistic day!!!
The extent of the rain around the Red Centre recently highlighted the black stains all over the rockface where runoff water makes it way to the ground. It's a rare spectacle to see waterfalls on Uluru and we were a few days too late.
It was a lovely flat walk, obviously, that was a little strange in itself because you were just walking around a big lump of rock in the desert and not to any other destination. This was the scale and size that we've talked about earlier. A couple of runners had chosen to run around it due to its good match to 10km distance running!?!?!? Strange people...
The far side of Uluru was like nothing either of us had seen before. Silver wispy trees dotted amongst the skeletons of old trees and lush greenery fell in and out of shadow throughout the day. Due to the permanent fixed point and the time it takes to walk around it was very obvious the movement of the sun over the landscape. The massive cracks and chunks missing have been caused by the constant battering of strong desert winds and extreme temperature or if you’re Aboriginal, tell the story behind Uluru’s creation. Many areas on the Rock are classified as sacred sites where photography is prohibited.
Each turn or corner in the path presented another angle on this incredible natural feature. It was a long walk taking over 4hours but every few moments something different came into view. It’s a very captivating feature considering its a rock in the middle of the desert!
The main reason we were here was to commemorate what would have been Amber's Mum's 70th birthday - 2 July. It was a special occasion to be here, in what could be argued is one of the most reverred and spiritual places in Australia, to remember such a significant event.
The sunset with the changing colours was a poignant moment that neither of us will forget. The atmosphere was tense as though everyone was there for a special moment watching as something that's not able to change quickly (being rock!!) did in the most visual way it can as day turned into dusk.
We miss you Brenda xxx
Brenda would have been very proud of both of you and all that you have achieved.
ReplyDeleteLots of Love to you both. Mum Corke xxxx