5 Facts about Uluru, Australia.
Author: Darma PamungkasDate: Wed, Jan 31, 2024
A giant rock that is taller than the Eiffel Tower.
It is a very large monolith
Uluru is a monolith that has fantastic dimensions. This monolith is 348 meters high above the surrounding surface, making it 24 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. However, Uluru actually has an invisible part embedded beneath the surface of the ground.
Uluru can be compared to an ice berg or ice rock on land. This is because the part embedded below the ground surface is said to be much larger. The part visible above ground level is only a small part of the giant monolith. Reporting from the official website of Uluru National Park - Kata Tjuta, the size of Uluru which is hidden underground reaches a depth of 6 km.
Apart from that, there is also a collection of 36 stone domes called Kata Tjuta. Kata Tjuta, also known as Mount Olga, is about 30 km from Uluru. The area at both ends of the rock became known as Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park.
This is a sacred place for Indigenous Australians
Aborigines are a race native to Australia who are thought to have inhabited the continent since 45 thousand years ago. The Pitjantjatjara ethnic group, also known as the Anangu people of the Aboriginal race, is a tribe that lives permanently and cultivates the Uluru area. For them, Uluru is a very important and sacred landmark.
The Anangu people believe that Uluru was formed during what is known as dreamtime. This is the time when the ancestors and their gods created the world and Uluru. They believe that some parts of the stone represent these gods. They also often touch the Uluru rock to get approval and blessings.
At the base of the rock there are many shallow caves that were used by the ancestral Pitjantjatjara Aboriginal people for shelter. The caves are also filled with ancient rock paintings that have deep meaning for the tribe.
Also known as Ayers Rock
In 1873, Uluru was known as Ayers Rock. The name is taken from the name of the Chief Secretary of South Australia who served at that time, Sir Henry Ayers. This name was used to refer to the Uluru rock until 1993. However, at the end of 1993, the name was changed.
Uluru is the name given by the Anangu people to the rock which is a popular Australian tourist destination. To honor the culture and beliefs of the Anangu people, the name "Uluru" is used again. Reported by Australian Geographic, the large rock was officially named Ayers Uluru Rock on December 15, 1993.
In 2002, the Tourism Association at Alice Spring submitted a request to change the order of Uluru's official names. They proposed that Ayers Uluru Rock be changed to Uluru Ayers Rock. Since then, the official name of the giant monolith has become Uluru Ayers Rock.
Visitors are prohibited from climbing the rock
Management of Uluru was officially handed back to the Anangu people in 1977, and since then, they have welcomed people who wish to visit. Apart from its dimensions, the history and culture attached to Uluru make this rock one of the popular tourist locations in Australia. Visitors are treated to stunning views of Uluru and the surrounding plains. Some of them even climbed the monolith.
The activity of climbing this historic rock was apparently considered to be a lack of respect for the culture of the Anangu people, because the rock is sacred to them. In 2017, to respect and appreciate the culture of Australia's indigenous tribes, climbing activities on Uluru rock began to be stopped and prohibited. The management board of Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park issued an official decree prohibiting visitors from climbing it.
It has two UNESCO World Heritage Site records
The Uluru and Kata Tjuta rock areas, which are national parks in Australia, are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Uniquely, this location holds records in two different categories in UNESCO World Heritage. Uluru National Park - Kata Tjuta is recorded at the formation stage of natural and geological diversity, and at the formation of cultural diversity.
The location of the Uluru rock was first recorded as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. The area was first recorded because of its natural diversity, namely the geological formation of the Uluru rock, and its vast plains which have biodiversity.
Uluru's second UNESCO World Heritage record was listed in 1994, on cultural heritage grounds. The Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park area is very rich in significant Aboriginal cultural heritage.
Uluru is a stunning giant monolith that holds the cultural heritage of Australia's indigenous races. This location also shows the existence of cultural crossover between indigenous Australian tribes and immigrants who lived side by side.
