Uluru: the heart of the great red centre
Uluru is probably Australia’s most recognisable natural
landmark. The sandstone formation is 348 m (1,142 ft) high,
863 m (2,831 ft) above sea level, has most of its bulk lying
underground, and has a total circumference of 9.4 km. Contrary to
popular belief, it isn’t the biggest monolith in the world; Mount Augustus in
Western Australia holds that title.
dominate the vast red sandy plain of central Australia. Uluru, an immense
monolith, and Kata Tjuta, the rock domes located 25 km to the west of
Uluru, form part of the traditional belief system of one of the oldest human
societies on earth. Both Uluru and the nearby Kata Tjuta formation have
great cultural significance for the Aṉangu people, the owners and
traditional inhabitants of the area.
Uluru is famous for appearing to change colour at different times of the day and year, most notably when it glows red at dawn and sunset. Special viewing areas with road access and parking have been constructed to give tourists the best views of both sites at dawn and dusk.
There are twenty-two native mammals found in the park,
including red kangaroo, common marsupial mole, hopping mouse, several bat
species including Australian false vampire, bilgy, occasional short-nosed
echidna, several small marsupials and native rodents, and, of course, dingos.
In August 1980, Lindy Chamberlain, whilst on a camping trip at Uluru with her family, claimed that a dingo had stolen her baby daughter, Azaria, from the family tent. Azaria’s body was never found, and when police claimed there were some apparent inconsistencies in Lindy’s story, she was charged with murder. At the time, the case attracted a lot of attention, turning an investigation into a media circus with little chance of an unbiased trial. In 1982, Lindy Chamberlain was
found guilty and received a mandatory life sentence. Despite being exonerated by the royal commission in 1987, it took until 2012 for a coronary ruling declaring that Azaria had indeed been killed by a dingo. This sensational case has been dramatised for television, film and stage, and even been turned into an opera.
If you haven’t already visited Uluru, put it on you ‘must visit’ list.