Uluru
Uluru is the biggest sandstone monolith in the world. A monolith is a single piece of block or stone. Uluru is found in the dry plains of the Northern Territory.
Uluru was named Ayers Rock after the premier of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers by European settlers. The European settlers owned Uluru until 1985 when it was handed back to the Aboriginals it was then named Uluru after Mr and Mrs Uluru who lived around the corner.
Uluru is 2.4 km long and 1.6 km wide. It is 348m above land. Uluru is actually grey, the red is a coating of red oxide. When it rains the red oxide washes off and it turns grey. There are aboriginal dreamtime paintings scattered on the rock. Chunks of rock have fallen off and are surrounding Uluru
Photo Of Uluru In Afternoon
Uluru at Sunset
About 500 million years ago, an inland sea covered the area where Uluru now stands. About 400 million years ago movements in the Earth's plates caused massive changes in the Uluru landscape.
Over the following 100 million years the plates pushed parts of the land into an upright position. Over the years, the softer parts of the landscape were eventually worn down by wind, sand and rain showing Uluru. This is called erosion.
About two thirds of Uluru is underground.
At Uluru, you can climb up it, go on a tour, and walk around it. Uluru is a major tourist attraction and people travel from all over the world to see Uluru.
Uluru is a sacred place for the Yankunytjatjara people and the Pitjantjatjara people who are traditional owners of the land.