Photo. Sunset
at Ayers Rock, Uluru, also called the
world`s greates rock (stone). © Travel Explorations.
A
cry in the night Ayers Rock is connected with mysteries in many ways. At the
time I travelled in Australia (my first time in 1987), there were discussions
and rumours about what had happened at Ayers Rock recently. This title above is
referred to a famous book and film based on a true story.
A spectacular scenery!
For they who
have seen the movie, would probably remember that Meryl Streep played the
real-life Lindy Chamberlain, who for a long period in the early 1980s was the
most hated woman in Australia. As the story is told, while she was visiting the
Ayers Rock monument in the Outback with her husband Michael (Sam Neill), Lindy
notices that a dingo (wild dog) creped into the tent where her baby lied
sleeping.
Immediately after, the shocked woman discovered that her child was gone.
Despite Lindy's allegation that the dingo killed her baby, the Australian public
was of the opinion that Lindy herself was the murderer. Because she was a
religious fundamentalist, she became an easy target for the tabloid press. All
people suspected her for killing her child through a religious ritual. Despite
no evidence where found, Lindy was charged with murder, with Michael as
accessory.
Finally, after the trial, Lindy and Michael Chamberlain were set legally
free, but at that time they were not released of the strong condemnation from
the Australian people.
For few years ago someone found a baby skeleton and some clothes in a small
cave at Ayers Rock. This gave a strong indication of that the poor mother had
told the truth.
The Uluru National Park is located 478 kilometers south-west of Alice Springs
along the Stuart, then Lasseter Highways. At its centre is the largest monolith
in the world.
Stunned by the shifting colours
I arrived in the afternoon. The
majestic Uluru rose up in the middle of the desert. The sunset lighted up the
rock in all the rainbows colours. It was a beautiful sight that almost paralysed
me. Filming and taking photos of the rock's natural formation was really
something!
Photo. Admiring the
sunset at Ayers Rock - Uluru. © Travel Explorations.
I got never
tired of looking this stone. It`s hard to believe that a stone could be so
interesting, but in this case there was no doubt. |
 |
The colours were shifting continuously. I was spelled bound by this sight at Sunset,
and I started wonder: what makes the mountain appear in several colours? A guide
explained that it was the gas molecules in the air that scattered light waves.
This gives the rock a changing colour cast seen from a distance.
Ayers Rock, called Uluru, by the Aborigines, was named by explorer
William Gosse who visited there in July, 1873, and named it after Henry Ayers,
then Governor of South Australia, The largest monolith in the world, it rises
348 metres above the surrounding plains and is nearly 9 kilometers around its
base. But it is not the highest peak!
A similar phenomena occurs circa 30 kilometres west, at Valley of the Winds. There are the
Olgas located, which means many heads. This is a group of domes, with Mt. Olga, a massive outcrop,
as the tallest. The rock itself is renowned for its changing colours as the light
reflects from its surface at different times of the day.
Up to the summit
Early in the morning we
started moving towards the big rock (07.00 O`Clock). The weather was foggy,
windy and little bit cold and we where freezing. Anyway we hoped that the
temperature would not rise too much. Staying on the top in the hot sun would be
a terrible experience I would be exposed for. We followed the marked trail. It
was interesting for us to look around. Regarding the view this trail is probably
the best to follow. Perhaps we could solve the mystery about the baby who
disappeared too!
The view was amazing, even though the fog blocked the sight in some
directions. The hike up and down took us two hours. Some people climb the rock
to its summit. They follow an over than 350 metres spiritual trail of the
Aborigines, which is considered as their sacred site. They don't like that
others follow the footsteps of their ancestors.
|
Photo. On the top of the world`s
biggest stone, Ayers Rock.
© Travel Explorations.
On the top people signed the visitor book. |
 |
Standing up here woke associations with the planet Mars,
with its rugged and red surface. It was an incredible feeling stand on the top
thinking about that I stayed on historical ground - the Aboriginals' sacred
site. I can understand that it is both interesting and challenging for
travellers to follow the Aborigines` own trail, but they should show respect for
the locals` traditional beliefs. It is also risky to climb there. Numbers of
people have died in accidents through years.
In addition to falling, people have also died from heart attacks. It is
thought that the impurity of the white man's soul stains the rock for a number
of years. Is it a curse? Visitors to Ayer Rock are increasing in numbers. Not
everybody show their respect for the beautiful surroundings.
Be aware of that all landscape features in the Uluru
region were made by ancestral beings, especially be aware of the rock
carvings around Ayers Rock. They are really beautiful, and gives impression of the life from the earliest
time of Australia`s history. The descendants of these beings are the Anangu people,
who have leased Uluru to the government for use as a national park, and it is
their responsibility to look after their ancestral lands.
Anangu do their best to keep safety of all visitors to their land. If someone
get injured or dies on the rock the Anangu feel great sorrow. Tjukurpa is an
important part of their culture, and represent an philosophy about existence and
life. The presence of the Aborigines is still great at Ayers Rock. They still
have many secret trails, caves and places around where few or none outsiders
have explorered.
The beautiful carvings will stands there eternally if the visitors don't
touch them. For they who go against Anangu spiritual beliefs to climb Uluru,
they can be cursed. This is because the climb to the top follows in the
footsteps of Tjukurpa ancestors. Also they who take with them pieces of the rock
home as souvenirs can be hit by accidents and even worse; death!
It brings bad luck to take something with you that belongs to others. I still
hear about people who return pieces of stone by mail to the Australian tourist
authorities because they have been exposed for accidents.
I find my way back again on the right trail, and I am glad I respected
the Aborigines sacred sites. Ayers Rock is a wonder of the world, and so are the
Aborigines. They have really something to be proud of. I hope they will be able
to preserve their unique culture. Their knowledge about the nature is
impressing. I still wonder: how can they survive in a barren landscape as this?
Stein Morten Lund, 10 April 2001
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