Back in 1989, I spent a semester abroad in Australia at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. I have no idea how my parents scraped the funds together to make it happen, but they did, and I am forever thankful! During one of the breaks, a group of us set out for the middle of the country for a camping tour to Alice Springs and Uluru (at that time, more often referred to as Ayer’s Rock). The domestic airlines happened to be on strike at the time of our trip, so we got to see a lot more of the country by taking the scenic route via trains and buses.
We started out going west for a stop in Adelaide, and then headed north for the Northern Territory, stopping off for a camel ride at The Virginia Camel Farm to mark the occasion. Luckily we only had to ride a few feet – I was not in control of my ride! On the way to Alice Springs, we passed the Salt Basin, the lowest point in Central Australia.
We spent some time hiking and exploring the beautiful rock formations that at that time were called The Olgas – they’re now referred to by their original name Kata Tjuta, which means ‘many heads’ in Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara, the languages of the native Anangu people. These pix are from back in the pre-digital days when we used the drugstore to make prints and added hand-written notes on the back. My note on the back of the first photo below: ‘Camping Tour, Alice Springs, The Olgas (obnoxious guy from our tour bus in back)’ 🙂
At last, we made it to the highlight of our cross-country journey. Words can’t describe the vision of this massive, red rock appearing out of the pancake-flat desert – it’s over two miles long, 1.5 miles wide, and has a circumference of almost six miles! Or how the colors change and deepen before your eyes as you watch the sun setting on the rock.
Since 1989, much more awareness has been raised about the significance of Uluru to the Anangu people. They believe that it was formed by ancestral beings during the Dreamtime, and that it is the resting place for past ancient spirits of the region. For years, the Anangu people have asked tourists not to climb the rock (more about that here). In November 2017, a decision was made to close the climb for good – a decision effective as of 26 October 2019. Back when we visited, we were young and unaware of the spiritual significance of the landmark – if I visited today, I would definitely make a different decision. But when we were there, we made our arduous way to the top, enjoyed spectacular views, reflected on the names on the climbing chains of those who had lost their lives on the rock, and signed the register at the top as a reward for our accomplishment.
We were treated to even more spectacular views on the way down, and ended the day with a tour around some of the sites at the base of the rock.
Ready for rest and sustenance, we encountered a typical Australian menu – I can’t remember what I ended up eating, but I don’t think I was adventurous enough to try that second special!
