Uluru, Northern Territory - September 2021
Uluru has long been on our bucket list, and at last we made it. It did not disappoint, but far exceeded our expectations. The visit was made even more memorable as we made it with family. Tali and Ta-wa and Morgan joined us for a wonderful four day break.
I have to say, we weren't sure we would get there, as there had been a few Covid cases popping up in our area just before we left, but thankfully they were well managed and Qld did not go into lockdown. The Territory is fairly quiet with few visitors at the moment, so the locals were most grateful for Qld visitors to keep them going.
I have to say, we weren't sure we would get there, as there had been a few Covid cases popping up in our area just before we left, but thankfully they were well managed and Qld did not go into lockdown. The Territory is fairly quiet with few visitors at the moment, so the locals were most grateful for Qld visitors to keep them going.
Jetstar has direct flights from Brisbane - only three hours, but that was long enough. Not having made any flights for a while, we wondered how we ever sat through long haul flights overseas. Our first view of the rock was stunning. A hint for first timers - try to get a seat on the left side of the plane for a good view when flying in.
We stayed at the Desert Gardens Hotel, one the several available accommodation places that make up Ayers Rock Resort. The resort is in the township of Yulara and has an interesting history.
Yulara was established in 1976, just 14km away from Uluru. Today, it’s home to just over 1,000 people. It emerged to help support tourism around Uluru, but also to protect the fragile ecosystem and spiritual heart of Australia from heavy traffic.
We spent the afternoon exploring the resort and township before venturing on our first activity. We splurged on the "Tali Wiru" (beautiful dune) dinner in the desert. How could we not, with a son named Tali? The languages of this area and the Western Desert where we once lived, are very similar, so we recognised many familiar words.
The outing was magnificent from start to finish, exquisite in every way. We were collected in a sturdy, but very comfortable Mercedes 4WD truck, which took us to our dune. We were greeted at the dune by waiting staff and were treated to delicious canapés and Champagne as we watched the sunset. These included such taste treats as green ant canapes and kangaroo and quandong pie, seared scallops, and pickled emu apple.
Once seated at our table, the four-course table-d’hote meal was served by attentive staff. I am sure the bush flavours and local ingredients were enhanced by the perfectly paired premium Australian wines and the setting under the endless skies, where a colourful sunset gave way to brilliant star shine. The night ended with hot chocolate and port and stories around the campfire. Our first night in the outback was a winner.
It was up early next morning for me and the kids to do a sunrise walk around Uluru. We chose a SEIT tour with a guide, which turned out to be a top choice. Our guide was very knowledgeable and made this experience the highlight of our trip.
We arrived at the base of Uluru, where we were provided with a knapsack containing our breakfast and a flask of hot water, before beginning our sunrise trek around the 12 kilometre base trail. It was extremely windy and very, very cold as we head off into the silence. The changing colours of the sunrise against the desert and the rock were beautiful, but there were no photos of Uluru allowed at this time as we were passing sensitive cultural sites. After about five kilometres we stopped for breakfast and were able to photograph from this point on.
We arrived at the base of Uluru, where we were provided with a knapsack containing our breakfast and a flask of hot water, before beginning our sunrise trek around the 12 kilometre base trail. It was extremely windy and very, very cold as we head off into the silence. The changing colours of the sunrise against the desert and the rock were beautiful, but there were no photos of Uluru allowed at this time as we were passing sensitive cultural sites. After about five kilometres we stopped for breakfast and were able to photograph from this point on.
Breakfast was substantial, and with the sun up, the day got warmer. The wind, however, kept up, but had the side benefit of keeping the flies away. Along the trail we visited waterholes, rock art sites and learnt much about Uluru’s cultural significance to the Anangu people. Our guide, Martin, was also very knowledgable about geological facts, botanical information, the history of the area, government, explorers - you name it, he could speak about it. Not one question went unanswered.
The many caves at Uluru are wind caves, which are typically rather shallow. According to the local Aboriginal people, the numerous caves and fissures were all formed due to ancestral beings actions in the Dreaming.
Many caves had interesting shapes. I saw hearts everywhere. |
From every angle, the rock was breathtaking.
We were quite tired after this excursion, so a quiet afternoon was in order before our next exciting venture into the desert again for the Sounds of Silence Dinner. This was not as intimate as the Tali Wiru dinner, but it was just as enjoyable. The food was delicious, the setting spectacular, and the grog unending. A resident astronomer was a highlight, as the night sky is unbelievably clear here. We even got to see the rings of Saturn through a telescope they had set up.
We did a little bit of local exploring around Yalara the next couple of days, with plenty of activities and things to see around the resort.
All good things must come to an end, and the time came far too quickly. Still, we made it without a lockdown, and it was lovely being mask-free for four days. This was a wonderful taste of the Territory and we hope to drive back next time to explore further.