National parks of Australia. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Uluru National Park

Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park is a unique nature reserve in the heart of the Australian continent, which has been under the auspices of UNESCO since 1987. Its main attraction is Uluru (Ayers Rock) - the main shrine of the Aboriginal people of Australia and one of the most recognizable places in Oceania.

History of Uluru National Park - Kata Tjuta

The area at the foot of Mount Uluru, rich in water sources, was inhabited by Australian aborigines more than 10,000 years ago. The Anangu tribe who lived here were engaged in hunting and gathering and revered the mountain as a place for sacred rituals.

The first Europeans in this area appeared already in 1870 when planning a telegraph line. In 1872, Mount Kata Tjuta was discovered by Ernest Giles, who named it Olga, in honor of the Russian Grand Duchess, daughter of Emperor Nicholas I and wife of King Charles I of Württemberg. Later, in 1873, the Uluru rock was discovered by William Goss, which received the name Ayers Rock , in honor of the South Australian governor.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, settlers tried to use the land in the area for cattle breeding and agriculture, which led to numerous clashes with the aborigines. To resolve the conflict, the authorities recognized this part of the continent as a reservation for the indigenous population of Australia.
In the 1930s. the area in the vicinity of Uluru began to gain immense popularity among tourists, and in 1958 this area was declared a National Park. Later, in 1976, the Australian authorities returned the land to the Anangu tribe, who in 1985 leased it to a parks agency for a period of 99 years.

Attractions of the National Park and Mount Uluru in Australia with photos and descriptions

Uluru Rock (Ayers Rock)

The main attraction of Uluru National Park - Kata Tjuta - is the mysterious Uluru Mountain. This unique natural attraction, which changes its color during the day, attracts more than 400,000 tourists every year.

Mount Uluru in Australia

There are many legends associated with the main shrine of the aborigines of Australia. Some of the caves in the mountain are considered portals to another world, and tourists are not allowed to enter or even take pictures. This object is considered to be the intersection of invisible paths along which the ancient inhabitants of these places and the souls of their ancestors walk.

Did you know? Triangular UFOs have been seen in the vicinity of Mount Uluru. Even astronomers have recorded their appearance.

Mount Olga (Kata Tjuta)

Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park

In addition to Mount Uluru, another hill of the National Park, Mount Olga, is of considerable interest to tourists. It consists of 36 rounded rocks, the highest of which reaches 546 meters. In the language of the aborigines, the name of this place sounds like Kata Tjuta, which means "many heads" in translation.

Flora and fauna

Despite the conditions of the desert area, there are 416 representatives of the flora in the park. Many of the plants of this region have adapted to the specific conditions of the desert savanna, in which rain is very rare. Some of them need heat or even fire to bloom, while others rise only after a downpour.
As for the fauna of the park, unfortunately, it has significantly suffered from human activities and animals imported by Europeans. Many local species have disappeared or are on the verge of extinction. However, in the remote corners of the reserve, tourists can still meet red kangaroos, emus or variegated monitor lizard.

Uluru waterfalls

Uluru Falls Australia

The Uluru Falls in Australia are of great interest to tourists. Huge streams of water form here after heavy rains and look especially picturesque in this desert area.

Uluru Park Attractions - Kata Tjuta

The territory of the National Park belongs to the Australian Anang tribe. In addition to receiving 20% of each ticket sold, Aboriginal people also conduct excursions and take photographs with tourists for an additional fee.
In this area, there are many tourist routes of varying difficulty. The best way to see Mount Uluru is to walk along the "Main Trail", and, moving along the "Valley of the Winds" road, you will discover the amazing monolith of Kata Tjuta.

Helicopter excursion, observation from the height of the sights of Uluru - Kata Tjuta

The sights of Uluru - Kata Tjuta can also be viewed from above by ordering a helicopter excursion or visiting one of the observation decks in the National Park.

Important! There are many ways to climb Mount Uluru. But the natives consider it a sacrilege, after which the sinner will have an accident.

How to get there

You can visit the National Park by flying from any major Australian city to Connellan Airport, 25 kilometers from which Uluru Rock is located. You can get to it by one of the regular buses or by renting a car in the town of Yulara.

Cost of attendance and opening hours

Uluru National Park is open daily from 5:00 to 19:00.
The entrance ticket to the park will cost you 25 Australian dollars (approximately 18 euros). Its duration is 3 days from the date of purchase, which gives tourists the opportunity for a thorough acquaintance with most of the attractions of Uluru - Kata Tjuta.

Video review of the attractions of Uluru National Park - Kata Tjuta

Uluru National Park is one of the most interesting places for recreation. Especially for you, we have selected for you a short and vivid video about the mesmerizing views of Uluru.

Perhaps our readers were lucky enough to visit Uluru Katayuta National Park in Australia? Write about your impressions in the comments!

The territory of the park is inhabited by the Ananga aborigines, many of whom currently work as guides and tour guides for tourist groups.

The first Europeans visited these places in 1870. In 1872, maps of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta region were compiled. In 1920, an Aboriginal reservation was created in part of what is now a national park. Tourists have been visiting the area around Uluru-Kata Tjuta since 1936. In 1976, Australia transferred the rights to the park to its aboriginals, who then “leased” the park to the Australian government for a period of 99 years.

Since 1987, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and in 1995 the park received the Picasso Gold Medal - the highest UNESCO award "for the conservation of nature and culture of the Anangu Aborigines."

The natural landscape of the park is a desert. The animals and plants inhabiting it create a single biological cycle, and the flora of Uluru-Kata Tjuta is represented by almost all species found in Central Australia. Some of these plants are extremely rare and are found only in the territory of the national park. The average temperature in the summer months in the park is 45 ° C, the average winter temperature is 5 ° C. On average, 307.7 mm of precipitation falls here a year.

Address: Lasseter Hwy, Uluru NT 0872, Australia
Telephone: +61 8 8956 1128
Site: http://www.parksaustralia.gov.au/uluru/
Square: 1,326 km²
Foundation date: 1987 year

Sometimes it seems that there is some injustice in the fact that one country owns any wealth, sights or monuments in an amount much larger than neighboring and other states. But if we talk about, then it's great that for a decade now, the country's authorities have been making a lot of efforts to preserve as much as possible intact everything that has been created by nature for millions of years. In this country, there is simply a huge number of nature reserves and parks of different levels, such as the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Geography and features of the National Park

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is located in the northern part of Australia, in the so-called Northern Territory. Geographically to the north of the park there is a city (distance 1431 kilometers), and 440 kilometers to the northeast is a city. The total area of the park is 1326 sq km. Important components of the park are the famous ones, as well as Mount Kata Tjuta, the distance to which from the mentioned rocks is 40 kilometers. When visiting the park, keep in mind that the Great Central Road passes through it.

When visiting the park, it should be borne in mind that in summer the average temperatures are kept at 45 degrees Celsius, and in the winter around -5 degrees. As for precipitation, about 307.7 mm falls annually. It is noteworthy that the aborigines of the Anangu tribe live on the territory of the park on the reservation, most of whom work as guides, guides and tour guides for tourist groups around the park.

Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park is very important for its country: it was included in the world network of biosphere reserves in 1977, and since 1987 it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

What is interesting about the reserve?

The word “park” is badly associated with the real landscape of the protected area - the desert. The characteristic color of the rocks is red, geologists believe that this is due to the presence of iron oxide in the composition of rocks. By the way, the Uluru rocks and the Kata Tjuta mountain are two hills of the same formation. According to geological prospecting data, they were formed at the same time in the form of a large mountain range, but so far it comes out to the surface only by these two hills.

All the beauty of the flora can be observed in winter and after the rainy season: during this period, the time comes for all the green variety to bloom. The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is home to almost all of the flora found in Central Australia. Together with the animals they meet, they create a real single biological cycle. Interestingly, some species of plants and animals are still used by local aborigines in the form of medicines or food.

Keep in mind that the behavior and appearance of tourists must strictly comply with local regulations: serious monetary fines are imposed for violating them.

How to get to Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park?

Since back in the second half of the twentieth century, the red rocks attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists, since 1975 a real Yulara resort with all the benefits of civilization arose 15 kilometers from Uluru, and an airport near it. You can fly here from almost any major city in Australia. In Yulara, you can rent a good hotel room, visit restaurants and cafes, swim in the pool and rent a car, or buy tickets for a group tour.

Several official routes have been laid in the park. Thanks to this, you can see all the rock formations and local landscapes from the most advantageous side. For example, the route "Main trail" introduces you to the Ulyra rock, but local aborigines consider it a sacrilege to climb the mountain itself, incl. having a desire, you have to do it yourself, there is a path. The Valley of the Winds trail leads only to Mount Kata Tjuta, and there are also two good observation platforms. At the entrance to the park in the cultural center, you can buy hand-made souvenirs by Aboriginal people and get to know their culture, history and traditions.

Uluru-Kata-Tjuta National Park is a desert reserve at the heart of the Australian mainland.

General information on Uluru

Full name: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
IUCN category: Uluru - II (national park).
Region: Northern Territory, Australia.
Area: 1326 km2.
Date of foundation: 1958
Relief: desert, slightly undulating plain with single monoliths.
Climate: arid, tropical.
Visit - paid
Official site: parksaustralia ... uluru ...
Purpose of creation: preservation of natural complexes and landscapes of the Australian desert, as well as the culture of the Anangu Aborigines.

Information for visitors to Uluru

Uluru-Kata-Tjuta is located in the southern part of the Northern Territories - one of the subjects of the federation. The park is open all year round, entrance fee is charged. A favorable period for visiting is in the Australian winter (May - October), when the air does not warm up above + 25 ° C during the day. The protected areas are under dual management - the Australian Conservation Service and the Anangu Aboriginal community. Indigenous people lead excursions around the park, telling the story of its creation, about the fauna and flora.

At the Uluru-Kata-Tjuta cultural center, visitors can learn more about the creation of a nature conservation area, get acquainted with the traditions and life of the aborigines, and purchase original handmade souvenirs.
Ayers Rock resort operates within the park. Uluru-Kata-Tjuta has many routes of varying length and difficulty. For example, the main trail leads to Uluru, and if you walk about 7 km along the "Valley of the Winds" route, you can get to Mount Kata Tjuta. This is the easiest and shortest route with a length of only 2.6 km.
It is best to take a walk in the park early in the morning, even before a lot of people appear here.

The sun at sunset creates an enchanting picture, the rocks begin to glow from brown-gold to pale pink and purple-red colors. The observation decks offer excellent panoramic views. Sitting on a bench, you can relax and enjoy the delights of ever-changing landscapes.
Since this area is sacred to the Aboriginal tribe, the behavior of visitors is strictly regulated. Large monetary fines are provided for any violation of the order.
The National Park is located approximately 365 km southwest of Alice Springs and can be reached by road in just 4.5 hours.

History of Uluru National Park

Since ancient times, the desert territories of the center of Australia have belonged to the Anangu tribe, who hunted and gathered here 10 thousand years ago.
Only in 1870 the first European expeditions visited these places, the participants of which were explorers Ernest Giles and William Christie Goss. In 1872, a telegraph line appeared, and by the end of the year - and the first geographical maps of the Uluru-Kata-Tjuta area.
While exploring the territory, Ernest Giles saw Kata Tjuta from the side of the Royal Canyon. He named it Mount Olga in honor of the daughter of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I - Grand Duchess Olga, who was also the wife of Charles I, King of Württemberg. Later, William Goss discovered Uluru, which he named after Sir Henry Ayers, Governor General of South Australia.
The purpose of further research was to determine the possibility of using this area for cattle breeding, since at the end of the XIX - beginning of the XX century. immigrants from the Old World began to move here. Due to the creation of farms, they had numerous clashes with the indigenous people. In order to somehow resolve this problem, in 1920, part of the Northern Territories of Australia was given up as a reservation for Aboriginal people.
Information about the red mountains in the middle of the desert flew around the globe, and since 1936 tourists began to visit the territory near Kata Tjuta and Uluru. In 1948, a road was laid to Uluru, since the 1950s. bus excursions began to be organized here.
Due to the growing anthropogenic pressure in 1958, the area with the Kata-Tjuta and Uluru mountain formations was declared a national park. In 1975, the Yulara resort with a small airport was built near Uluru.
In 1976, the Australian government returned the rights to Uluru from Kata Tjut to the aborigines inhabiting it, and in 1985 they leased it for 99 years to the country's Federal Agency for National Parks. In 1987, the Uluru-Kata-Tjuta National Park was included in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites, and in 1995. this organization for the preservation of the culture of the Ananga aborigines and nature, awarded the National Park the Picasso gold medal. Every year, about 500,000 people come to Uluru-Kata-Tjuta for excursions and recreation.

Walk in Uluru-Kata National Park

Uluru-Kata-Tjuta National Park is located in the very center of the mainland, it is also called the Red Heart of Australia.
Most of the protected area is desert.
The geological formations of Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the main attractions of the park.
Animals come to the spring at the foot of Uluru to drink, and at the base of the mountain monolith there are numerous caves - a kind of vernissage of rock art ...
Ancient petroglyphs depicting the deities Anangu Lungkatu - a blue-tongued lizard, Lyra - a brown snake, Kalayu - emu.

Natural facts and wonders of Uluru Park

The name Uluru, a sandstone monolith, in the Anangu language means "the place where the shadow is." A little to the west are the rounded formations of the Kata Tjuta rocks. The Australian aborigines call them "the mountain with many heads". And the highest of the mountains is Olga (1066 m), she is 198 meters higher than Uluru.
After much research, it was possible to find out that Uluru is part of a huge mountain range lying at a depth of 6 km.

Kata Tjuta and Uluru, connecting underground, represent a single geological formation. They are red in color due to iron oxides, which are part of their rock, formed by coarse-grained gray arkose sandstone, it is formed during the destruction of granites. Also, the composition of the rocks of the monoliths includes feldspar and quartz.
These mountains are sacred to the Anangu tribe. According to one of the legends, Uluru was created by their ancient ancestors - tjukuritja. These were not people, but giant animals, their footprints formed lakes, and giant bodies - mountains.

Uluru Kata Tjuta Facts:

348 meters - Average height of Uluru
869 meters - Maximum altitude of Uluru
10 kilometers - Radius Uluru
546 meters - Average height of Kata Tjuta
36 - The number of hills at Kata Tjut

About 500,000,000 years ago, there was an ancient sea bottom on the site of the park. The bottom sediments were composed of sand, pebbles, and sometimes sandstone. Remnants of this ancient sea can be seen in the basin of the drying up closed salt lake Amadeus. So the landscapes of the park are dunes and sandy plains, covered with rare trees, undersized bushes and sod grasses. The Musgrave mountain range rises 100 km from the park.

More interesting things about the park:

Rock monument Uluru - one of the symbols of the state of Australia
The large red kangaroo is Australia's largest marsupial. Prefers to settle mainly in savannas or low woodlands, sometimes enters desert territories
Tourists conquering Uluru along one of the excursion routes seem like ants on the red body of this whopper
Thickets of malga, or vein acacia - an important ritual site for the aborigines of Australia
Dingo (Canis lupus dingo) - a second feral dog, appeared in Australia around 4000 BC.
The red domes of Kata-Tjuta are located 32 km from Uluru, and the locals call the surrounding area "the valley of the winds"
One-humped camels, or dromedaries, were brought to Australia in the middle of the 19th century. Animals acclimatized to local conditions and became feral, their number is now up to 50,000 heads

Plants of the Uluru-Kata-Tjuta nature reserve

The flora of the national park is made up of 416 plant species. Among them there are rare, characteristic only for the protected area and directly for Australia. Endemics of the park can be found in the Kata Tjuta and Uluru rock formations.
The vegetation has adapted to the harsh conditions of the deserted savanna, where life depends on irregular rainfall. Some plants are capable of surviving fires, and some are necessary for flowering. After a rainstorm, a dense carpet of ephemeral annuals of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), legumes (Fabaceae), and Asteraceae (Asteraceae) appears in the park. Many areas are dominated by Triodia basedowii and Triodiapungens with a huge root system that prevents the desert sands from moving. Its roots are harvested to obtain resin. They are pre-crushed to separate the resin particles. These particles are then heated until they melt together in a mold, forming a black resin that the aborigines use hot for hunting and making tools.
Woody vegetation is represented by thickets of Malga shrubs, or acacia without veins (Acacia apeiga), with wide round leaves, and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.).
Plants of the park play an important role in the life of the aborigines; to collect certain species, they arrange whole rituals. Spearheads, boomerangs and kitchen utensils are made from malga (Acacia apeiga) and oblique eucalyptus (Eucalyptus obliqua). Sansevieria trifasciata (Sansevieria trifasciata) is indispensable as a disinfectant and for inhalation for coughs and runny nose. Other trees are also actively used, such as Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Duboisia myoporoides and Grevillea banksii.
The habitat of the rare common snake (Ophioglossum vulgatum) in the park is limited to wet areas on monolithic rocks, which are often visited by tourists. Since then, when the first European visited the park, 34 exotic plant species have been found here, which is about 6.4% of the total flora of the protected area. Some of them, such as bufel grass or Cenchrus ciliaris, have been used to rehabilitate erosion-prone areas.

Uluru Animals

The fauna, despite the desert nature of the area, is quite diverse. However, at present there is a steady decline in animal species, especially animals. So, out of 46 species of mammals in the protected area, only 25 have survived.
The extinct ones include the kuzu (Trichosurus vulpecula), the lagomorphic kangaroo (Lagorchestes hirsutus), the rabbit bandicoot (Macrotis lagotis), the black-footed kangaroo (Bettongia lesueur), the black-footed rock wallaby (Petrogale lateralis).
The marsupial comb-tailed mouse (Dasycercus cristicauda) is on the verge of extinction, but it can still be found in a limited area of sandy soils - in a narrow strip of the park from Uluru to the northern border. There are also two species of marsupial moles (Notoryctes), the Australian python Ramsey (Aspidites ramsayi), and the great desert skink (Egernia kintorei).
The park's bat population includes at least seven species, which depend on daytime roosting sites within the Uluru and Kata Tjuta caves and faults. Most of them find their food in the air, flying just 100 meters from the rocks.
The avifauna of the park is made up of 178 bird species. The main feathered creatures include the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), the black-throated butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis), the buzzard kite (Hamirostra melanosternon), the black-faced swallow shrike (Artamus cinereus), and the red-breasted black-throated tricolor wagtail (Epricolor).
The park is rich in reptiles: there are 74 species of them. Four species of frogs, such as the coral-buried littoria (Litoria caerulea), are found in large numbers during the rainy season in Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
Anangu continue to hunt animals in remote areas of the park and on other lands they own. At the same time, hunting the great red kangaroo (Macropus rufus), the African great bustard (Ardeotis kori), emu and large lizards such as the variegated (Varanus varius) and the giant monitor lizard (Varanus giganteus) is prohibited.

The main factor in the extinction of about 40% of the indigenous species of Central Australia was strong pressure from imported animals. For example, house mice (Mus musculus), one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius), foxes (Vulpes spp.), Cats, dogs and rabbits have spread throughout the park, their density is especially high near Kata Tjut and Uluru.
It was possible to reduce the huge population of rabbits only after the introduction of a program for regulating the number of animals.
This has led to a noticeable restoration of vegetation and a reduction in the number of predators. Camels are guilty of diminishing plant species, especially most succulents such as dessert quandong (Santalum acuminatum). The house mouse (Mus musculus) is an active violator of the habitat of local rodent species.
The knowledge and skills of the Anangu trackers have proven invaluable in managing the populations of these imported animal species. In addition, park rules prohibit visitors from bringing animals to the specially protected area, with an exception made for guide dogs for blind and deaf visitors. In other cases, special permission is required from
directorate of the national park

But even taking into account some restrictions that are quite normal for protected areas, Uluru-Kata-Tjuta Park has been and remains one of the most mysterious, beautiful and interesting regions on the entire continent.

Photo: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Photo and description

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is located 440 km south-west of Alice Springs. The territory of the park, included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1987, covers an area of 2010 sq. Km. and includes the famous mountain Uluru, or Ayers Rock, and the mountains Olga, or Kata Tjuta.

Uluru Rock is perhaps the most recognizable symbol of Australia, its icon and sacred site for all Australian aborigines. The world famous sandstone monolith rises 348 meters.

Kata Tjuta is a sacred place for men, very strong and dangerous, which can only be entered by those who have passed the initiation rite. The mountain consists of 36 rocks that are more than 500 million years old.

The indigenous inhabitants of these places are the Anangu Aborigines, who believe that their culture was created at the beginning of time. It is the Anangu people who conduct tours around the territory of the national park, during which they talk about the flora and fauna of these places and the history of the creation of the world. The park is jointly managed by the Aboriginal community and the Northern Territories State Parks and Wildlife Service. And the main task of such joint work is to preserve the cultural heritage of the Anangu Aborigines and the fragile ecosystem in and around the park. Interestingly, UNESCO recognizes both the cultural and natural significance of the park. In 1995, Uluru-Kata-Tjuta received the Picasso Gold Medal, the highest UNESCO award for outstanding efforts to protect the park's landscapes and Anangu Aboriginal culture.

Europeans first came to these places in the 1870s during the expedition to build the Overland Telegraph Line - it was then that Uluru and Kata Tjuta were mapped. In 1872, explorer Ernest Giles saw Kata Tjuta near Royal Canyon and named it Mount Olga, and a year later another explorer Gross saw Uluru, named Ayers Rock, after Henry Ayers, the secretary general of South Australia. At the end of the 19th century, Europeans tried to develop agriculture in these places, which led to violent clashes with the aboriginal population of the territory. Only in 1920, part of the current park was declared a reserve for the aborigines, and in 1936 the first tourists appeared here - it was the development of tourism that became the reason for the strong establishment of Europeans near Uluru in the 1940s.

Today Uluru and Kata Tjuta attract hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. In the late 1970s, it was decided to move all infrastructure outside the park, and in 1975, the Yulara resort and a small airport were built 15 km from Uluru. Many routes have been laid through the territory of the park itself. For example, the Main Trail is the best way to see the great Uluru. The Valley of the Winds trail leads to Mount Kata Tjuta. There are two observation platforms on it, from which incredible views open up. In the Cultural Center you can get acquainted with the history, art, life and traditions of the Anangu and Tyakurpa tribes, as well as buy hand-made souvenirs.