Uluu-Kata Tjua National Park in Yulara, Northern Territory | Government organisation

Uluu-Kata Tjua National Park

Locality: Yulara, Northern Territory

Phone: +61 8 8956 1128

Address: Lasseter Hwy 0872 Yulara, NT, Australia

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• Community organisation
• Landmark & historical place
• Government organisation
• National park

25.01.2022 On Saturday, Qantas’ Great Southern Land scenic flight took 150 Australians on a once-in-a-lifetime aerial tourism flight over some of Australia’s most iconic destinations including our very own Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The wide-bodied twin jet Qantas Dreamliner is usually reserved for long-haul international flights, but delivered some low fly-bys of key locations, including Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Take a look

25.01.2022 The theme for NAIDOC Week this year is ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’. Parks Australia recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were Australia’s first explorers, first navigators, first engineers, first farmers, first botanists, first scientists, first storytellers, first diplomats, first astronomers and first artists. Uluru-Kata Tjuta always was and always will be Anangu ...land, a living cultural landscape. Uluru -Kata Tjuta National Park is a dual World Heritage listed area, protecting not only the physical landscape, but also the detailed and extensive body of cultural knowledge (Tjukurpa) associated with this landscape. At Uluu, stories, song and law are held in the land, as well as in the hearts and minds of traditional owners. Features in the landscape, for traditional owners, are physical evidence of the travels and struggles of Anangu ancestors, who travelled widely across the land in the very beginning, in the form of people, plants and animals. Therefore, looking after the stories involves looking after the land, and vice versa. Strong spiritual and material interactions between Anangu and country continue in the park today, through sacred site maintenance, ceremony, storytelling, teaching, cultural burning, sustainable hunting and harvesting, and a range of other practices, including contemporary art. The way this natural and cultural heritage is protected for future generations at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park while also being generously shared with visitors, is testament to Pitjantjatjara and Yankuntjatjara people’s diplomacy, the strength of cultural protocol, and the ongoing relationships and obligations that have tied people and country here together for thousands of years. Visitors are able to get a taste of Uluru creation stories when they visit, through the three main Tjukurpa shared with visitors: Mala Tjukurpa (rufous hare-wallaby story), Lungkata Tjukurpa (blue-tongue lizard story), and Minyma Kuniya munu Wati Liru Tjukurpa (the python women and venomous snake man story). #NAIDOC2020 #NAIDOCWeek A collection of footage from the recent 35th Anniversary of Handback celebrations featuring inma performances coordinated by Maruku Arts.

25.01.2022 The theme for NAIDOC Week this year is Always Was, Always Will Be. Parks Australia recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were Australia’s first explorers, first navigators, first engineers, first farmers, first botanists, first scientists, first storytellers, first diplomats, first astronomers and first artists. Here's a recap of how we acknowledged NAIDOC Week across Parks Australia. https://bit.ly/3pa2zQW #NAIDOC2020

23.01.2022 In a sign that visitors are keen to visit the red centre, the National carrier Qantas, has recently announced that they will operate 5 flights a week flights between Sydney and Uluru. The flights will commence from March 2022 https://bit.ly/34eV2qP

21.01.2022 Palya, As in most remote Aboriginal desert communities, a relatively small percentage of Aangu living in Muitjulu speak English regularly or fluently. Most speak Pitjantjatjara (pronounced pigeon-jarrah) and Yankunytjatjara (pronounced young-kun-jarrah), which are dialects of the Western Desert language. Tomorrow is World Environment Day, and the theme in 2021 is "REIMAGINE. RECREATE. RESTORE." so our word of the week is about the restoration of the land that comes after a ...controlled burn. Our word of the week is inuntji. It means fresh plant growth, especially blossoms, and the time of the year when acacias blossom profusely, typically after summer rains, around January to March. To pronounce the word, say ‘i-nun-tji’. Find out more about language spoken at Uluu-Kata Tjua National Park here: http://bit.ly/3jQw0Ud

20.01.2022 Uluru is both a beautiful, and harsh, environment. Temperatures regularly reach 30 degrees Celcius - and when they reach 36 degrees Celcius we call them extreme temperatures. Heat exhaustion and dehydration are very real dangers here. These simple steps will help to keep you and your family safe while out walking in our park...... Wear a wide-brimmed hat, good quality sunglasses, strong shoes and sunscreen. Carry and drink at least one litre of water per person per hour. We don’t recommend you drink sports drinks, diet cordials or caffeinated drinks as they can contribute to dehydration. Eat regular meals, take frequent breaks and eat healthy snacks. Consider taking an electrolyte product with you such as Hydralyte / Gastrolyte to replace lost fluids. Walk in the cooler parts of the day (before 11.00 am) and walk with another person at all times. Follow directions from park rangers - their directions are for your safety. Obey all safety directions, notices and warning signs. Stay on marked tracks and in designated visitor areas. Be aware of your own limitations and supervise your children. Learn the signs of heat stroke and heat-related illness.

20.01.2022 Kali are made from mulga wood. They do not return when thrown, and are most often used in pairs as musical instruments during ceremonies. Other types of boomerang are used to hunt.

19.01.2022 Tinka (sand goanna) are a common sight around the park at the moment. This large monitor lizard can reach a length of 140 cm. The sand goanna excavates large burrows but may also shelter in rock crevices or tree hollows. Its diet consists mostly of insects, small lizards and mice, but it considers anything smaller than itself prey, including snakes and other lizards.... The female sand goanna lays her eggs inside an active termite mound. The termites rebuild the mound around the eggs, regulating the temperature and humidity until it’s time for the eggs to hatch. Anangu often hunt these lizards and dig them out of burrows for their meat and eggs. Keep an eye out for this popular kuka (bush meat) in the park's nyaru (recently burnt areas) in coming weeks. Dan Hanisch

19.01.2022 We often see great photos of our visitors enjoying the park! Show us yours! Tag us #SeeUluru #parksaustralia to feature on our channels. IG:hoboreizen, IG:ulurusegwaytours, IG:guarenbf, IG:juankrlits

19.01.2022 Desert heath myrtle, or pukara, is a small woody shrub that forms dense stands on the slopes of sand dunes. Pukara have small compact leaves with no stems and produce small white and pink flowers in winter. On winter mornings, Anangu women would beat pukara bushes over a wooden bowl to collect the dew, which contained sweet nectar.

19.01.2022 How many birds will you see today? #AussieBirdCount

19.01.2022 Lonely Planet has named their 10 most incredible travel experiences in the world - and Uluru comes in at a well-deserved third place! It's an honour to be included in such an amazing list of breath-taking places from all around the world. #seeuluru

19.01.2022 Mutitjulu Community Rangers (MCRs) recent spent some time brushing up on traditional skills used to collect, process and cook the seeds of native plants such as wakati (Portulaca oleracea) and wangunu (Eragrostis eripoda). Winnowing and yandying were used to separate the chaff from the seed before cooking the nyuma (seed cakes) in the fire. Ranger Boyd Wright is demonstrating winnowing using the light breeze to remove the chaff from the small black seed, whereas MCR Jasmine Moneymoon has modernised using a sieve to do the same thing.

18.01.2022 Back by popular demand! Outback Cycling Uluru Bike Ride is re-opening here today! The Uluru Bike Ride is a valuable experience offered within the park with an impeccable safety record and consistently highly-rated levels of satisfaction amongst visitors. You'd better book quick! They will be operating from the Cultural Centre car park. Book your bikes at https://bit.ly/38oVPZz Outback Cycling - Australia ... https://bit.ly/2GLbLtH

16.01.2022 Uluru is a type of rock called arkose. If you take the base walk you can see that the surface is actually flaky red with grey patches. The flakes are bits of rock left after water and oxygen have decayed minerals in the rock. The red is the rusting of iron found naturally in arkose, and the grey is the rock’s original colour. You can see Uluru’s original grey inside many of its caves. Kata Tjuta is made from a conglomerate of pebbles and boulders cemented by sand and mud. Most of the pieces are granite and basalt, which give the conglomerate a rocky road dessert effect. These magnificent rock formations are actually a lot bigger than they appear like icebergs, most of their mass is below the surface. Uluru and Kata Tjuta are only the tips of huge rock slabs that continue underground for up to six kilometres!

16.01.2022 Uluru is one of the most photographed landmarks in Australia, and it’s easy to see why. The park has plenty of photo opportunities beyond Uluru also: sweeping landscapes, breathtaking geological formations and delicate wildflowers. Uluru and Kata-Tjuta change colour and appearance depending on the angle, weather and time of day. The rock can appear moody on overcast days, shiny when it’s wet and glowing red at sunset. You’re guaranteed spectacular shots whenever you visit.... Tourism Australia

15.01.2022 There are many types of gecko in Uluru-Kata Tjuta, but the knob-tailed gecko is the easiest to identify thanks to its oversized head and distinctive tail. Knob-tailed geckos feed on insects, spiders and occasionally smaller geckos. When threatened, they can detach their tail to distract predators. These geckos live in the more open areas of the park and tend to rest in their burrows during the hot part of the day.... Knob-tailed gecko. Photo: Stanley Breeden

14.01.2022 Uluru features in an article about UNESCO world heritage sites you can see from space. https://bit.ly/2UhT57L

11.01.2022 One of the most striking Australian lizards, the thorny devil is a small dragon covered in densely packed spikes. The thorny devil walks with an unusual rocking motion that is thought to confuse birds of prey. It also has a knob-like ‘false head’ on its shoulders and can puff itself up to appear bigger when threatened. ... Tourism Australia

11.01.2022 We love seeing the photos our visitors take when visiting the park - show us yours! Tag us to feature on our channels #SeeUluru #ParksAustralia... IG:guiliotolli, IG:mia.steyton, IG:italiandrisphotography, IG:loveyourtravels

11.01.2022 Uluru Segway Tours offers an experience like no other with stunning views of World Heritage-listed Uluru. Join knowledgeable guides to cruise the full base of the rock by Segway. Fully trained, passionate guides will share stories and interesting facts about Uluru and its culture, history, geology, flora and fauna. The Segways are quiet and have wide tyres for low impact, making your journey around Uluru peaceful and environmentally friendly. Segways are easy to ride and lots... of fun, and we promise you’ll be hooked in no time. Immerse yourself in the nature, culture and outback landscapes that Central Australia is famous for all without breaking a sweat! Uluru Segway Tours

10.01.2022 The spinifex hopping mouse are small native mice common throughout the park, although they spend most of the day sheltering from the desert heat. They are usually seen at night, jumping through open areas with their body almost horizontal. Spinifex hopping mice eat a variety of seeds, roots, shoots and small invertebrates. They build deep burrows lined with twigs and leaves, and their population varies hugely with the levels of rainfall in the park.... Spinifex hopping mouse on the move. Photo: Michael Sale / CC BY-NC 2.0

09.01.2022 Palya, Very few Anangu speak English as a first language. They mostly speak Pitjantjatjara (pronounced pigeon-jarrah) and Yankunytjatjara (pronounced young-kun-jarrah), which are dialects of the Western Desert language. Their word for hello is ‘palya’. In English it is pronounced to rhyme with ‘cull-ya’. This is the best way to say hello when you’re in the park, so give it a try when you meet Anangu during your visit. The same word can also be used for ‘goodbye’, ‘thank you’ ...and ‘finish’. Find out more about language spoken at Uluu-Kata Tjua National Park here https://bit.ly/3jQw0Ud.

08.01.2022 The spear thrower is a multi-purpose tool. As well as throwing spears, it is traditionally used for spear-sharpening, deflecting other spears in combat, cutting meat, mixing ochre and as a fire-making saw.

08.01.2022 Often seen along creek lines, the river red gum grows up to 12 metres high in the parkUluu-Kata Tjua National Park. This iconic tree has pale yellow flowers, large stalked gumnuts and bark that varies in colour from white to grey to brownish-red. Its large canopy offers much-needed protection from the heat while its hollows provide homes for many birds and animals.... The river red gum has many traditional uses for Anangu. The tree’s wood is used to make bowls to carry food and water. Its resin can be mixed with water to make an antiseptic solution, while its burnt bark is traditionally combined with animal fat to create an ointment for burns. Anangu eat river red gum seeds as well as edible grubs that live under the bark. The leaves sometimes develop a white scale that can be rolled up and eaten like a lolly. In a good season, the flowers also produce a delicious honey.

08.01.2022 Rain at Uluru! Many visitors enjoy Uluru and Kata Tjuta’s rich reds and bright oranges at sunrise and sunset. But only a few are lucky enough to experience Uluru with waterfalls, or witness the red rock’s massive ridges disappearing behind cloud. Earlier this week, a thick white cloud descended on Uluru, and it stayed misty and foggy all night long. The sky is now its usual bright blue, but the fog brought some much needed moisture and a cool change. Visitors, the community, ...rangers and local wildlife are loving it! Rainwater on the surface of Uluru can cause it to change colour in unexpected ways. From dark burgundy to shining silver and even black, every side of Uluru takes on a different shade, making this spectacle a photographer’s delight. Meanwhile, the waterholes are slowly filling, and we are all loving the sound of the many nganngi native frogs. Emma Blythman - Uluru Park Joint Management Support Officer, Parks Australia

07.01.2022 This tool is like a mortar and pestle. The base rock, or mortar, is named tjiwa and the handheld grindstone is called tjungari. These stones are used to process seeds into flour and grind fruit. They are often handed down to daughters and granddaughters. Grinding stone. Photo: Tourism Australia

07.01.2022 That view! We have five viewing areas dedicated to experiencing and photographing our sunrises and sunsets. They are located to take full advantage of how the sun’s rays hit the rock and make it appear to change colour. This photo is taken at sunset from Talinguru Nyakunytjaku, the most popular viewing area for taking in a sunrise at Uluru. Find more tips about the best viewing areas here https://bit.ly/2Ucuwt9.

07.01.2022 Men collect resin from the base of spinifex grass stems. The resin is mixed with sand and heated up to make a sticky paste. When it cools down it sets really hard, just like modern superglue. Kiti is used for repairing, waterproofing and assembling parts of tools and artefacts.

06.01.2022 This week for National Reconciliation Week #NRW2021 we're sharing a word each day that speaks to the values and actions we try to embody when it comes to reconciliation and joint management of the park. Our Reconciliation Week 'Word of the Day' is tjungu warrkaringkuntjaku. It means 'working together'. To pronounce this phrase, say 'tjun-gu warr-ka-ring-kun-tja-ku'... Learn more about language in Uluu-Kata Tjua National Park: https://bit.ly/3jQw0Ud

04.01.2022 Have you considered cycling around Uluru? Outback Cycling Uluru Bike Ride is back by popular demand! Check them out https://bit.ly/38oVPZz Outback Cycling - Australia https://bit.ly/2GLbLtH

01.01.2022 A manguri is a head ring made of twisted grass or cloth. It was used to help carry loads (like a bowl of water) on the head. Using a manguri to balance a wooden bowl. Photo: Tourism Australia

01.01.2022 Ahhh, one of the top spots on everyone's list when they visit. One of the few permanent water sources around Uluru, Mutitjulu Waterhole is a place where you can sit quietly and listen to the sounds of the beginning of time. Find out more here https://bit.ly/33wnJj9... https://bit.ly/3fypmSc

01.01.2022 Anangu recognise five different seasons in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The warmer months bring extreme heat and rainstorms to the park, with temperatures often soaring well above 35 degrees Celsius. The middle of the year sees clouds, mist and morning frosts in the desert. The period from October to March can get extremely hot, with daytime temperatures regularly exceeding 35C. However, the hot weather also brings storms and rain, which fill the waterholes and start Ulur...u’s waterfalls flowing a truly spectacular sight! Show us your weather pics! https://bit.ly/31SbH2A