Today was the day. Since we had been waylaid yesterday afternoon and hadn’t had the opportunity to view Uluru, apart from at a distance whilst standing atop the roadside sand dune, we are going to make sure we get a chance to get up close and personal with what has been titled, albeit incorrectly I am led to believe, the worlds biggest monolith.

Thus, after a quick bite to eat for breakfast, we rugged up against the cold that again seems to be invading our immediate vicinity, bid farewell to the four legged babies and pointed our noses in the direction of the park. Uluru, along with the lesser known Kata Tjuta are both located in the aptly, although not overly originally named Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The entrance to the park is only a matter of minutes drive away from the caravan park, although it is about 20 kilometres to reach the main carpark at Uluru itself.

A Sight We’ve All Seen Before.

Not long after leaving the limits of Yulara, there it stood, the instantly recognisable amber dome of Uluru, reaching up into the overcast sky. There is only one word with which the image it imprints on your retinas can be described, and I did try to avoid uttering it, but find that to truly portray the picture, I must, as the view truly is iconic. Nothing else says “central Australia” as simply as this singular lump of rock jutting skyward from the plains with which it is surrounded. In todays cloud softened light, it takes on a muted tan colour, but with each alteration to the light, the hue of the rock makes a corresponding adjustment.

We arrived at the carpark from which there are two choices, by just before 10:00AM. It is from here that you can choose to ignore the warnings and urgings of the local indigenous tribes ancestors and scale the side of ‘The Rock’, or take a more leisurely walk around the boulder. The choice was taken out of our hands this morning however, as the climbing access was just being closed by a ranger as we arrived as a result of ‘strong winds at the summit’. We were not concerned, as we had climbed to the top on our last visit. Knowing just how difficult it is, even on a good day, we had already made the pledge to hike the trail encircling the base. Listed as a moderate, 10.6Km loop, we were already starting to regret our decision before we had begun, having to walk nearly ½ a kilometre just to access the public restrooms.

Just Follow The Arrows. How Hard Could It Be?

At 10:00AM, there was a talk given by a local ranger, taking in a couple of sights along the start of our planned ramble. We decided to tag along, but grew bored at the slow pace, not to mention the cold. With little sun to speak of, only occasionally peeking its warming rays earthward from behind a dense cover of cloud, it was the wind that we noticed the most, blowing icy daggers through the air, to which no amount of layered clothing could protect us sufficiently to prevent the stabbing feeling of cold. A feeling that we have quickly relegated to our memories since we left Melbourne not all that long ago.

Thus, a relatively quick clip was adopted, as we strode along the hard packed dirt trail, stopping here and there for quick rest breaks or to take the obligatory snaps, craning our necks aloft to take in the vertical panorama of the towering cliffs that rose up high above us.

SIGHTS ALONG THE WAY.

While the walk was slated to take 3 ½ hours, we shaved a good 45 minutes off that time, even at the eventual dawdling pace we maintained as we dragged our weary feet back into the carpark. I might upset a few purists here, but by the time we strode back to our starting point, we had decided that the actual climb is the achievement that we will forever remember. Being so close to the steep walls of the rock as we were, it is impossible to get an overall view and the meaning is lost. A few trees and a steep rock wall rising up out of the ground at our sides, we could have been walking through the great Aussie bush anywhere in Australia. That said, by the time we got back to ‘The Beast’ we figured that we had covered in excess of 11KM and that is an achievement in itself, for which I am sure that our already pained joints and muscles will be reminding us of tomorrow.

Woo, Hoo. Made It.

With our trek complete and the sun now deciding to make a welcome appearance, we stopped in at the park information centre, which houses a small gift shop, gallery of Aboriginal artworks, café and cultural education display. Nothing caught our attention here, so it was but a brief visit, peering at the displays and wares for sale, before heading back in the direction of the caravan park, where a well earned rest was in order.

With no rest for the wicked, we managed only a stunted repose, before we were rallied to action again, with the promise of a touch of shopping. We had decided to head for the shops once more, stopping along the way at a further Aboriginal Art Gallery and Interpretive Centre. We then had just enough time to partake in the very unenthusiastic retail therapy which is available here in Yulara, before making another trek into the national park, this time to bear witness to the right of passage that is the setting of the sun over Uluru. We, along with what seemed like the entire tourist population of Yulara squeezed into a slightly too small carparking area, everyone jostling for a position offering a clear view of ‘The Rock’ as the sun set behind us, throwing an ever changing glow across the dome. Iconic. It really is.

The Different Hues…

…Of Sunset.

Until next time, have fun, stay safe and don’t forget to write.