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Uluru Facts

Uluru Facts
Uluru is a very large sandstone rock formation in Central Australia's Northern Territory, also known as Ayers Rock. It is sacred to the area's aboriginal people called the Pitjantjatjara Anangu. Around this massive rock formation are waterholes, rock caves, springs, and even ancient paintings. Kata Tjuta and Uluru, which are major features of the Ukuru Kata Tjuta NationalPark, are known as the Olgas. Uluru is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, having been given this declaration in 1987. Uluru is considered to be one the most recognizable landmarks in Australia. Uluru is 1,142 feet high and with most of its massive bulk being underground.
Interesting Uluru Facts:
Uluru changes color depending on the time or year and the time of day. It glows bright red at sunset and at dawn. This is due to the surface oxidation of the iron content of the sandstone.
Uluru is considered to be an island mountain as it rises abruptly and is surrounded by flat land.
Uluru is the aboriginal name while Ayers Rock was a name given in honor of Sir Henry Ayers. Both names are legally used.
It is believed that Uluru was created approximately 600 million years ago and once was sitting at the bottom of the sea.
Uluru is very large but it is not the world's largest monolith. Western Australia's Mount Augustus is the largest.
Uluru is 1.2 miles wide and 2.2 miles long. The circumference is 5.8 miles.
Some believe that Uluru and Kata Tjutu were once combined into a much larger monolith.
It would take 3.5 hours to walk around Uluru as it is a 10 km distance.
It is cool and dry in the winter and hot and dry in the summer at Uluru.
The Uluru climb closes when temperatures reach 36 degrees Celsius. It also closes in high winds.
It rains at Uluru mostly between November and March due to tropical monsoons.
The majority of Uluru is comprised of course sandstone called arkose, which consists of jagged grains and shiny pink feldspar crystals.
Uluru has little to no vegetation but it does have eroded valleys.
Many say that the night sky above Uluru is the most impressive in the world for star gazers.
Traditionally only elderly male aboriginals were permitted to climb Uluru however due to changes in the Australian government, tourists are now able to climb Uluru with a metal chain that was installed back in 1964.
Uluru stands 28 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
Currently there are 21 native mammal species living near Uluru, however in the past there were 46 native mammal species in the region.
Bats commonly live in the crevices and caves of Uluru.
There are 73 reptile species in the park as well.
Aboriginals began living in the area roughly 10,000 years ago. Europeans arrived in 1872 during an expedition and Uluru was first mapped.
Local Anangu do not climb Uluru as it holds significant spiritual importance to them. They ask tourists to avoid climbing as the path crosses a sacred track.


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