Australia's most famous natural landmark has two names – Uluru and Ayers Rock. So which one is correct? The rock was called Uluru a long time before Europeans arrived in Australia. The word is a proper noun from the Pitjantjatjara language and doesn't have an English translation.
Uluru Rock is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Australia, standing at 348m high, 3.6km long and nearly 2km wide! It is around 600 million years old, and the area surrounding the rock has been lived on for thousands of years due to its spiritual and geographical significance.
To get an idea of the size of Uluru Rock, the Eiffel Tower stands at only 324m high, meaning Uluru would tower over it.
It is located in the 'Red Centre', west of the Simpson Desert. This places it inside Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, where it is listed as a World Heritage Site.
For many years before the European colonisation of Australia, Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples lived in the area surrounding the rock. It has even featured in Dreaming stories, due to its ancient nature and ties to 'The Beginning'.
Surviving in such a barren land is not easy for either humans or wildlife, but Uluru has been a consistent part of the landscape throughout, thanks to its size and structure.
In 1873, the explorer William Gosse became the first European settler to see Uluru. He named it 'Ayers Rock' after Sir Henry Ayers, who was an important political figure at the time.
The name Ayers Rock was the most widely used name until 1993, when the rock was officially renamed Ayers Rock / Uluru. This also makes it the first feature in the Northern Territory to be given dual names.
In 2002, these names were reversed, and the rock took on the official name of Uluru / Ayers Rock, which it still has today.
Now, the name Uluru is widely used, as a way of recognising the history and cultural connections that came long before Europeans set foot on the land.
Because of its age and the span of time that Anangu People have lived there, Uluru is now a sacred site for this culture. Uluru Rock has been used within Dreaming stories for many generations, and it is seen today as a resting place for ancient spirits.
The Indigenous Australian Peoples believe Uluru was created during the Dreaming. These stories explain how Aboriginal ancestors returned to the Earth to create the animals, land and relationships between living things. Due to its size and complexity, it has taken several Dreaming stories to tell the whole tale of Uluru.
The rock has also been home to a variety of wildlife, with 21 native mammals currently living on Uluru, while others have since been introduced to the area.
The history, size and cultural importance of Uluru rock has made it a frequent destination for tourists from all over the world, However, because of the spiritual and geological importance of this site, the decision was made in 2017 to end walks up Uluru. This decision will preserve the land for future generations, while ensuring that the strong connection Aboriginal Australians have with Uluru can remain intact.
