Uluru: Ayers Rock, geologi og kulturarv

Uluru is better known as Ayers Rock, it's named by William Gosse in 1873 after Sir Henry Ayers. Uluru is the Aboriginal and official name. The rock was created over some 600 million years, and the Aborigines have been in the area for the last 10,000 years. It originally sat at the bottom of a sea, but today stands 348m above ground, that's higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Chrysler Building in New York. One of the most startling Uluru facts however, is that some 2.5kms of its bulk is underground. The rock is about 3.6kms long and 1.9kms wide, with a circumference of 9.4kms. The climb to the top is 1.6kms, much of which is at a steep angle, while the summit is generally flat. The surface is made up of valleys, ridges, caves and weird shapes that were created through erosion over millions of years. Anangu own all of Uluru and Kata Tjuta and lease it back to Parks Australia to be jointly managed as a national park. This arrangement first came into place in October 1985, in an historic moment known today as handback. The natural beauty and unique cultural significance of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has been officially recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Listed Area. This was awarded due to the remarkable and unique natural features formed by ongoing geological processes and for its rich cultural heritage. The listing of Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park ensures the park remains a world-class destination for both its cultural and natural heritage. Today over 400,000 visitors flock to the region each year to experience the natural beauty and its unique Aboriginal culture and leave knowing that the park is managed according to cultural practices that date back tens of thousands of years.