Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) Favorites

Favorite thing: The following are some general information on the Park and how to contact if need to do so...

Park use fee is AU $25.00 for Adults. Children under the age of 16 get in for free. The ticket is valid for 3 consecutive days at Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

The park opening hours are different on a month to month basis.. In Dec, Jan and Feb the park is open from 5am to 9pm. in March, 5:30am to 8:30pm. In April, 6am to 8pm. In May, 6am to 7:30pm. In June & July, 6:30am to 7:30pm. In Aug, 6am to 7:30pm. In Sept, 5:30am to 7:30pm. In Oct, 5am to 8pm and in November, 5am to 8:30pm.

The information Desk opening hours are from 8am to 5pm and they can be reached by phone by dialing +61 8 8956 1128 and by Fax +61 8 8956 2360 and by email uluru.info@deh.gov.au or their website www.deh.gov.au/parks/uluru

The cultural center hours are from 7am to 6pm

Favorite thing: As we drove through the gates of the national park and entered the Uluru park, we were handed a visitor's guide to the park along with our park's use ticket.. On both the ticket and the visitor's guide, it clearly is written in English asking visitors not to climb Uluru or Ayer's Rock..

As a guest on Anangu Land, we ask you to choose to respect our law and culture by not climbing

Besides all the requests by the Anangu Aboriginal people, many people still choose to climb the red rock every day.. Uluru is a sacred site to the aboriginal people and everyone should respect their wishes. As you can see in the picture on the right, many people are climbing the rock.. Climbers keep record times of their climb to the summit and compare with others.. "my personal record is 13 minutes" said our tour guide as he drove us closer to the Rock...

That's a really important sacred thing that you are climbing...
You shouldn't climb. It's not the real thing about this place.
The real thing is listening to everything.
Why are we going to tell you to go away (ask you not to climb)? So that you understand we are informing you: Don't climb.
And maybe that makes you a bit sad. But anyway that's what we have to say. We are obliged by Tjukurpa to say.
And all the tourists will brighten up and say 'Oh I see. This is the right way. This is the thing that's right. This is the proper way: no climbing.

by Kunmanu, traditional owners of Uluru

Favorite thing: For those who decide to climb Uluru, it is useful for them to know if the climb is open or it is closed.. The climb is generally open unless one of the following criteria is met...

1) Climb is closed daily from half hour after sunset to half hour before sunrise.

2) Closed at 8 am if forecast temperature is equal to or below 36 degrees Celsius.

3) On short notice if rain or storms become likely within three hours.

4) On short notice if the wind speed at 2,500 feet reaches 25 knots.

5) On short notice if cloud decends below the summit.

6) On short notice if rescue operations are in progress.

7) If the traditional owners request it for cultural reasons, for example a period of mourning.

You may check with the Information Desk the status from 8am to 5 pm by calling +61 8 8956 1128.

Favorite thing: Spinifex Grass (Spinifex Sericeus) is one of the best protectors in Australia's outback. Very painful to the touch because of its long stalk, then the sheer size and abundance of it throughout the country makes it the perfect way to keep the sand from blowing!

In addition to keeping the sand down, and poking larger animals and humans as it passes, it is also the home and shelter to many of the outbacks small animals who can burrow under it.

Favorite thing: One of the most interesting things to learn about Uluru is actually why it has its red tinge to it.

The reason is because this is actually a grey rock with a high amount of iron inside it. When iron reaches the surface, it oxides, and Iron Oxide is better known as.... rust.

So this entire rock really is just one large rust-bucket!

If you walk up to the rock, feel free to actually rap your knuckles on a little of it, and you can feel a distinct hollowness to the top layer of the rock!

Favorite thing: One of the most intriquing things about Uluru is that from every angle and every direction, you will get a completely different view.

I really liked this position, because of so many different angles and colors of the rock at the same time. Rocks, fizzures, slow slopes, and then abrupt edges all together.

Make sure you take the opportunity to walk up close and also see it from far away, so you can see everything that is Uluru!

Favorite thing: Although it is a little hazy as to whether or not the Aboriginal people saw this image and they made Uluru a sacred place. The image of the Mala man on the side of Uluru was instantly the first thing I noticed when I went to the Uluru sunrise tour.

Since I am sure that most Aboriginals did not have mirrors, do you think they knew this looked like them?

Points to ponder... in the meantime definitely turn up to Uluru to enjoy a sunrise, and a sunset!

Favorite thing: One of the great sites while looking at Uluru was the sighting of this cute little pigeon, known as the Spinifex Pigeon which is indiginous to the Northern Territory.

I can not find out too much more information about the pigeon on the internet to share here, so I guess it is best to just enjoy the picture of him!