Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the middle of Australia. It is considered as one of the great wonders of the world, and it is the most recognisable landmark in Australia rising up to over 300 meters. One would need to walk almost 10 kilometres to go around this huge rock and it is said that two-thirds of Uluru is actually underground invisible to our eyes.
Uluru is a sacred place for the Anangu, who are the Aboriginal people of the area. According to the Anangu Uluru was created in the process of creation and destruction, and they believe that the land is still inhabited by these ancestral creator beings. However, there are also other mystical theories presented about the birth of this famous rock. Norbert Brockman's (1997) Encyclopedia of Sacred Places first tells about serpent beings who waged many wars around Uluru, scarring the rock. It also tells of two tribes of ancestral spirits who were invited to a feast, but were distracted by the beautiful Sleepy Lizard Women and did not show up. In response, the angry hosts sang evil into a mud sculpture that came to life as the dingo. There followed a great battle, which ended in the deaths of the leaders of both tribes. The earth itself rose up in grief at the bloodshed, becoming Uluru.
As Uluru is a sacred place for the Aboriginal people of the area, there are some restrictions for tourists. Altough tourists can climb the rock, the Anangu request the visitors would not climb Uluru. The locals do not climb Uluru because of its spiritual significance. However, there are several guided tours for tourists to walk around the rock on special pathways with professional guides. It is especially recommended to see Uluru during the sunrise and sunset, when it has said to be in its most beautiful form and color.
There are also restrictions in photographing. The Anangu request that visitors would not photograph certain parts of the Uluru because of reasons related to beliefs and rituals. Some forbidden parts of the rock should not be visible to the outside world, according to the locals.
Have you been to Uluru? What kind of experiences do you have from the mysterious rock?
The closest big city to the Uluru is Alice Springs from where one can easily reach Uluru. You can find Alice Springs hotel deals from GalaHotels.
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