Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) – 1/17/2013
Jan 18th, 2013 by admin
One of the many unique things about the outback here in central Australia is the clearness of the air. I had expected there to be more dust and haze. But there isn’t. The air is so clear that at dawn the temperatures are down in the high 20’s. As soon as the sun comes up, however, the temperatures start to rise quickly and you can just feel a 45º day coming on.
We headed to Ayer”s Rock or Uluru, as the Aboriginals call it. Uluru is in a national park that is jointly administered by the national government and a committee of elders from the Aboriginal community. The idea is to keep the tourist side of Uluru from running amok over the sacred Aboriginal side.
It’s a fine balancing act. All of the places that you can stay at Uluru are just outside the park entrance and the 4 hotels, the restaurants, the helicopter concession, the petrol station are all owned by one concessionaire. That means that the least expensive, “budget” room at the park is well over AUD250 with most over AUD500. We stayed about 70 miles away in Curtain Springs in a AUD105 budget double.
Probably the best example of the inherent conflict between the tourist industry and the Aboriginals is the question of climbing the rock. Aboriginal tradition says that no human feet can set foot on the sacred Uluru rock. There are signs all over the park stating “We don’t climb. We ask you not to also.”
The park, however has a route up the rock, a visible white scar on one of the buttresses, that has a a hand rail to help the “climbers.” There are signing put up by the park that try to discourage climbing but the only time they actually prohibit climbing is when the temperatures (like today) are forecast to be very high. And that is to prevent the need for rescues. There have been a few deaths but most of the rescues are for heart attacks and heat stroke. Reverse Darwinism hard at work.
The obvious question is why don’t they just prohibit climbing if it is dangerous and a violation of tradition. The obvious answer is that the tourism industry has stated that less people will come if climbing as prohibited. They don’t have any data to support that claim but, like elsewhere, that doesn’t seem to matter. And the indigenous people share in the entry fees for the park so there is reason to believe that they also are of two minds about the question.
The Rock, though, is the star here. You can see it from quite a distance as you approach the park and it just gets bigger and bigger as you get closer. And the red color – it just gets bolder even in the dull morning light.
We pull up to the entry kiosk and buy our 3 day tickets for AUD25 each which is a hell of a deal compared to AUD22 to see the fairie penguins for 2 hours. We drive in with the tourist map of the park as a guide and stop at the cultural center. It’s quite interesting with discussions and displays of the Aboriginal people (collectively known as the Anangu) whom first settled here and the stories and myths that they have created about the Rock.
We move on to one of the trail heads around the Rock. Some of the trails are already closed for the day as is climbing the rock due the to expected very high temperatures. We park right at the base for the climb and head down one of the trails to see the different caves and sites that encircle the base of the Rock.
We end up at a gorge that is at the base of a huge waterfall the occurs when there is rain on the top of the Rock. The drop must be 100 meters and must be an amazing sight when the water is flowing. Back to the car and on to other lookout points around the base of the Rock for short hikes and photo opportunities.
It’s already after noon and we plan to go to a sister site, Kata Tjuta, about 45 kilometers away to hike into the Valley of the Winds. After that we’ll return for sunset at Uluru.
Almost as soon as we leave Uluru, we can see Kata Tjuta on the horizon. It’s a collection of domes, some even higher that Uluru, that are also a sacred site for the Anangu. We get there but find that the hike into the Valley of the Winds is closed due to the high temperatures. We settle, instead, for a hike into Galpa Gorge.
It’s an uphill hike and it’s very hot. But the views make it worthwhile. The gorge is also a sacred site and it’s easy to see why. The atmosphere in the gorge is almost serene. The gorge had water when most other areas didn’t so it is a site of great importance.
We hike back to the car. Start the car. Urn on the scared air-conditioning. And try to recover while drinking whatever water we can get, hot or cold doesn’t matter. Back to Uluru and out to the Ayer’s Rock Resort just outside the park to kill time until the sunset starts.
We pull into one of the hotels in the resort and head for the bistro/bar to order lunch and a beer. To our surprise, they won’t serve us because we aren’t registered at the hotel. They say that that is the deal that they with the Anangu: they will only sell alcohol to guests at the hotel. A measure of respect for the Aboriginals. It’s a little hard to believe but that’s their story and they’re sticking to it.
We ask for somewhere where can get a lunch and they direct us to a small shopping center in the middle of the resort. There are two cafes there but only one is open. Toasties and lemon-aid. It’ll have to do. While John wanders off exploring, I catch up on the blog.
At just about 6:0 we leave and head back into the park. There is a viewing area that is specifically for viewing and photographing and we want to get there early enough to get a good spot for photos and to get there early enough so that we don’t miss the best late afternoon light.
There aren’t many people in the park and most of the ones that are here are with tour buses and they park in another viewing area. We get there and there’s only one other car there and it’s parked near a decent piece of shade. We pull up to nthe same area and ask the 2 young German men if they mind us sharing the shade. They say no. We get comfortable for the wait for the lighting to change.
They’re a couple of young men who are doing their gap year before they head off to university. Like the other young Germans we met on out way yo Adelaide, they are working and traveling. The others did fruit picking; these did door-to-door canvassing. Now they’re just traveling about Oz before they head home and to university (as economic majors.) We have a nice chat with them while we’re waiting for the sun to get lower on the horizon.
Then about 6:30, the sun gets to the point where mostly red light is getting through the dust and haze of the atmosphere. Sunset is at 7:41 and the Golden Hour has started. And they red on the rock just starts to glow. It’s truly amazing. As beautiful as the Rock is during the day, at sunset it is just spectacular. I can’t stop taking one photo after another.
Then at 7:41 the sun drops below the horizon and the brilliant red suddenly turns to a dullish red-gray. The show is over. The couple of hundred people who came to see the sunset. Are still taking pictures, unable to get themselves to leave. This is such a special place that you have to tear yourself away. We have a long way to drive back to Curtain Springs but it’s till so hard to leave.
The light fades fast on the road back to Curtain Springs. There isn’t much traffic and the road trains haven’t started moving yet but there is plenty of animal traffic to worry about. We run with the high beam driving lights that John has installed on the Cherokee.
There are plenty of ‘roos about but we’re really worried about the free range cattle and the feral camels. Hitting a ‘roo would be good but hitting a cow or, worse, a camel would be catastrophic. But for all our concerns, we don’t see anything and make it back to the roadhouse in Curtain Springs with no dramas.
Unfortunately, we make it back 5 minutes after the kitchen has closed. But Rowan offers us pork chops, mashed potatoes and salad. A beer to rehydrate with and dinner arrives. And John with a bottle of wine.
I try the pork chops. Great but they need a little salt. A bite. More salt. Another bite. More salt. Finally, the body stops craving salt (it’s been very hot and we’ve been out in it most of the day) and I devour the chops and potatoes. Pass on the salad. It had been on the table and some insects got to it before us. What a great meal.
Just as we finish up, Rowan drops by again for another chat. He’s so interesting and we’re so lucky to have this opportunity to talk with. Last night it was how to run a cattle station. Tonight, the topic is the current state of Aboriginal affairs. Light after dinner discussion.
It’s probably not a surprise to anyone that the relations between the “white fellas” and the Aboriginals have been shakey at best and ugly at worst. The early relations had been typical colonial and post-colonial nightmares. The later relations have been marked by best intentions with unforeseen consequences. A wonderful view into a culturre of a country the outsiders rarely get to see. Rowan has given us privilege. It’s wonderful and an honor.
On the way to the room, we run into a trio of young travelers that we’ve been running into for the last day or two. One of the guys is French and he’s returning here to start fork again. The other two are headed to Alice Springs and would like a lift from us. Unfortunately, we just don’t have the room. We apologize but they’re philosophic about it. Something will come along. May be today. Maybe tomorrow. It really doesn’t matter. They’re anti-tourists. When it’s time to go, they’ll go.
I few chats and another beer with them and a couple of itinerant refrigeration repair workers. “You Belorus? Me, too.”
Finally, off to bed. What a day.
Obi-wan
2 Responses to “Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) – 1/17/2013”
Sounds beautiful! Looks like long stretches of road ahead of you, bring lots and lots of water!!!
We left with 40 liters of fuel and 40 liters of water. A shelter tarp, tents and the emergency function of not one but two Spot satellite trackers. We should be prepared if we have to wait for help.