Uluru Rock, formerly Ayers Rock, in the Red Centre of Australia, has now been closed to the public as of last Friday. The Rock had been one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations despite its remote location (the nearest town, Alice Springs, is over 450 km away!)
I feel sorry for those who will now have to scratch the climb up the Rock off their bucket list. They will just have to make do with some legacy pictures I snapped with my old Nikon Nikorrmat film camera during a trip I made down under way back in 91.
ULURU ROCK IN THE EARLY MORNING
START OF THE CLIMB
The start of the climb at the base of the rock is strikingly similar to old photos of the Chilkoot Trail during the Yukon gold rush. Unlike the Chilkoot, the problem here is heat so the climb is performed after a 04:00 wake up call to get to the base in the early morning.
TOURISTS MIDWAY UP THE ASSAULT TO THE TOP
CRAGGY LANDSCAPE ATOP AYERS ROCK SUMMIT
VIEW OF THE OLGAS (now KATA TJUTA) FROM THE SUMMIT OF AYERS ROCK
CAVES AT THE BASE OF ROCK
ABORIGINAL ART INSIDE ONE OF THE MANY CAVES
THE OLGAS
No trip to Australia’s Red Centre would be complete without a side trip to the nearby Olgas.
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE OLGAS
OLGAS ENTRANCE
AYERS ROCK FAREWELL