Ayers Rock Northern Territory Australia

Ayers Rock is one of Australia's most visited sights with more than ½ million people visiting it each year but Apart from sticking out like a sore thumb, Uluru, as it called by its reinstated Aboriginal owners, is most famous for its ever changing colours particularly at sunrise and sunset.

This major holiday attraction has evolved into a holiday resort 'Ayers Rock Resort' (also known as Yulara) measures about 1½ mls from N to S and has all the facilities of a small town as well as accommodation of all standards, a visitor centre and a tourist office.

Designed to blend in with the surrounding desert, the resort is primarily red and ochre in colour and much thought has gone into conservation in an area which receives almost too many visitors. It is important to remember Ayers Rock is sacred to the local Aborigines who ask that people do not climb it, although this is not enshrined in law. It is worth remembering that people have died climbing the Rock and that sensible precautions should be taken before starting up it.

Locality:

Ayers Rock and the 'Ayers Rock Resort' are located right in the centre of Australia, on the S edge of Northern Territory. 290 mls SW of Alice Springs. The resort itself is 10 mls from Ayers Rock (Uluru), 4 mls S of the domestic airport, connected by shuttle buses to the resort. The Ayers rock resort lie in the middle of scrubby desert of red sand with a few sparse trees and spinifex (Australian grasses); Ayers Rock looms in the distance, 34 mls from the dome-like Olgas (Kata Tjuta).

The 'Ayers Rock Resort' is most suited to couples and families. Although there is nothing much to entertain the very young, a weekday child-care centre exists for children aged 3 months to 8 yrs.

Accommodation at the 'Ayers Rock Resort' caters for most budgets from 4-star luxury to basic backpacker bungalows and a large campsite, all well maintained and designed to make as little impact as possible on the environment.

The accommodation is managed communally and guests of one hotel are welcome to use the amenities of others; fees are charged to their own hotel bills. Due to the lack of competition, accommodation is expensive by normal Australian standards.

Entertainment and attractions at the resort consist mainly of a regular programme of talks and walks, covering subjects such as the local environment and the Aboriginal lifestyle, free tour of native gardens, wildlife predator show.

By night, entertainment is limited to hotel bars with live music at the Outback Pioneer.

Excursions here consist primarily of tours to Ayers Rock and the Olgas. There are also small-plane and helicopter scenic flights, Harley Davidson motorcycle tours, camel tours, cocktails at sunset tours, cultural Aboriginal tours, day trips to Mount Conner, Petermann Range or Kings Canyon.