MYSTERIOUS ULURU – August- September 2012.

MYSTERIOUS ULURU – August- September 2012.

There’s nothing quite like the magic and  romance of a train journey. So we chose the” Ghan”, claimed to be among the great train journeys of the world....from Darwin in the north, to Adelaide in the south, across the contrasting landscapes of the Australian continent.  A continent known for kangaroos & koalas, wallabys & crocodiles, & its famed aborigines . It was also the scenic route to the deep heart  of the continent where lies the famous Ayers Rock & its sister formation nearby, the Olgas.  Finally we were on our way to solve what was to us , the mysteries of  Ayers Rock.

Here’s a strange bit of history before we go on.

Camels are not native to Australia. But in the mid 19th century, hundreds & thousands of them  plus labour from  Afghanistan,  were brought into Australia to mainly assist in the transport  of telegraph poles that were much needed for communication in that era. Needless to say the camels  were hardy in the deep dry heartland of Australia as they could survive & perform well  with very little water.

With the introduction of motorised transport in the 20th century, the camels were freed & left to survive on their own. They multiplied of course & today they number over a million in the wild, becoming pests, & if not radically diminished, could destroy Australia’s delicate desert  ecosystem. As a result, large scale culling is carried our each year by marksmen in helicopters !! Ironically, camel burgers are popularly sold through out Australia today!

Originally known as the Afghan Express, the name of our train, the “Ghan” was inspired by  these pioneering Afghan camelleers who blazed a permanent trail into the deep heart of the continent over 150 years ago.

 We arrived in DARWIN with a couple of days to explore before our departure by train. Its a modern city rebuilt after the last war, with convention centers & excellent  museums & art galleries . The twice weekly Mindil Beach market attracts thousands of locals & tourists alike. There is fresh international cuisine,&  is alive with much activity -  arts & crafts, musicians, artists & street buskers. When its time, almost all of the thousands adjourn to the beach, sit on the sand with their families & packed meals, & watch a spectacular sunset.

The seas around Darwin host the  infamous saltwater crocodiles. One can see these giant reptiles in the crocodile farm,  or in a state of the art aquarium downtown where 6 of the largest crocodiles in captivity are  kept. For the brave hearted, one can be lowered right into the aquarium in a transparent  “cage of death” to view them up close! In front of our hotel  is the famous esplanade which has war memorials dotted along it & which runs all the wau to Doc Gully (or Aquascene). At high tide everyday, hundreds & thousands of wild fish come here to be hand fed. Full of stories about the world wars, a favourite historical attraction is the WW2 oil storage tunnels.  These huge tunnels were hand dug to safely hide & store oil tanks during the war. Today it is open to visitors & features a photographic display of their brave men & women.

 The train journey from Darwin to ALICE SPRINGS takes only 1 day & 1 night. Alice Springs is the gateway to Ayers Rock.  We thought  it  would be just down the road from here, but it is actually another 450km away !!  Although a very small town, Alice Springs boasts of strong aboriginal culture. 50% of the population here are aborigines & the town is full of shops & galleries displaying & selling beautiful abo art & craft.  It is also the home of the famed Royal Flying Doctor Service & Museum  - which,till today,  continues to provide medical services to the isolated areas in the outback. Noticeably, there is a large indian community & most of our cab drivers were punjabi!

The day had arrived. We were on our way to AYERS ROCK OR ULURU, as it is proudly known in the language of the aborigines. The Uluru(Ayers Rock) – Kata Tjuta(Olgas) National Park is a World Heritage Site &  one of the few dual  listed sites for both its cultural & natural values. Both these rock formations are the worlds largest clean skinned monoliths that stand within 50 km of each other. They are the visible tips of huge rock slabs that extend maybe upto  6 km underground & are believed to be  connected underground  .  Being harder than its surrounding land, weathering & erosion over millions of years, wore out its surroundings, leaving these giants to stand out in the desert. The iron minerals in them give them their striking redness. Uluru rises to a height of 348 meters(1km) above the desert floor & has a girth of 9.4 kms.

Nearly half of the land in the Northern Territories is owned by the Aboriginal people including this Park  .

The Aborigines consists of many tribes &  call themselves the Anangu. “We  believe our  land was created by our ancestors who left marks in the  land & made laws for us to keep & live by. They upheld the laws & our culture strongly, & they lived strongly & happily. Today we too live & work with the white people, equally. But everything in the park runs according to our law”.

Uluru

The foundation of Anangu culture has a complex meaning ;  their religion, customs & traditions remain deeply rooted in their community. Their  stories & legends hold deep moral significance. But they can only be related by senior members  who have much knowledge of the land & even  the behaviour of the plants & animals. They respond to different seasons through nature’s natural rhythms, not through dates on a calendar. This knowledge comes with a cultural responsibility & is handed down from grandparent to grandchild as a family inheritance, or to a person who has a right to that knowledge.

Sacred sites to the Anangu can also mean trees, hills rocks & springs.  Not all are easily recognised  by the  non Anangu. Many sacred sites mark a particular act of creation by ancestral beings  in mythology. Others are ceremonial grounds. Anangu custodians have responsibilities to protect & maintain these sites by holding ceremonies or visit these places & sing theiir religious songs. Their sacred sites are so powerful that violation of their sanctity can be dangerous both to those who transgress the law & to the custodians themselves.  Some sites should not even be identified to others or talked about.

Around the base of Uluru are sensitive areas with rock details & features that tell a sacred scripture & describe culturally important information. These areas are not allowed to be photographed as they must  be viewed only  in their original location. It is inappropriate(in their culture) for images of such a site to be viewed elsewhere.

For years, local & foreign tourists have climbed Uluru as a challenge. Many have died during and after the climb. The Anangu feel sad about this.  They say “Uluru is sacred. Respect it. Do not climb it. Instead,  listen to the Anangu legends & understand how each & every story that has been told & retold thru the generations, has a significance. By choosing  only to walk around it, you will be respecting the wishes of the Anangu”.

Our rangers were passionate about sharing their knowledge with us. In return they only asked that we take responsibility to respect Anangu land & property.

No matter how many pictures I had seen of Uluru, I was not prepared for my first glimpse of it. From a distance across the rich coloured plains of the Park,  its size & rich red colour overwhelmed me. We saw it early in the morning when the first rays of the sun  set Uluru alight,  & witnessed a stunning sunset when the evening sky brought out the many shades of colour for which Uluru is famous.  And when I stood at its base, touched  it & listened to their stories, I truly understood why it is not only  a treasure to the Anangu, but  one of the wonders of the world.

Where it is allowed, I hugged it & kissed Uluru  goodbye & wished the Anangu well. I wished that their rights would be respected & that whatever was taken from them, would be returned to them. Most importantly I signed a book which petitioned for a campaign titled ‘ I CHOSE NOT TO CLIMB ULURU’.

We continued on our journey over the red, irridecent oranges & burnt yellow  plains of the Park to the sister monoliths of Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). Kata Tjuta means  ‘many heads’ in Anangu.  This spectacular  landform consists of 36 dome like monoliths, the tallest being 200 meters higher  than Uluru. There are several walks to enjoy its beauty –among them  the Valley of the Winds & the Wolpa Gorge. These are steep, rocky & difficult walks.  Here again we were kindly requested to stay within the marked trails & to respect their sacred property.

Kata Tjuta

I kept turning back to catch my last glimpses  of Uluru as we drove away from the National Park . We had learnt much about the Aborigines. Incredibly they are recognised as one of the oldest human societies on earth!

We continued  our train journey southwards on the Ghan . As we approached ADELAIDE, the landscape dramatically changed from the dry desert  browns of central Australia  to the bright greens of  cultivated farming around Adelaide . Known as the wine & festival capital, Adelaide is a charming blend of historic buildings,  surrounded by parklands . The old railway station has cleverly been converted into a characteristic Casino. A short tram ride takes you to Glenelg, a beach suburb lined with lively shops, cafes & restaurants; & where a boat ride could take you dolphin & whale watching. The Adelaide Central Market has been a food hub for over 140 years. No matter how obscure a fruit, dessert, meat, or cheese( & much more)  you wish to find, chances are you will , here.  We had a gala time tasting dips & cheeses, ice creams & nuts and more. There were musicians to entertain while you had a drink or a meal. The atmosphere was just festive.

Our friends took us to a charming German  settlement  outside the city called Handauf Village. Walking around the little arts & craft shops & having a little lunch at a roadside cafe was lovely way to spend a Sunday morning.

It was only because of  kindly advice from some dear friends that we chose to explore MT.GAMBIER.   Called the ‘blue lake city’, it is set amidst an ancient landscape of volcanic crater lakes, caves, sinkhholes, & mysterious underground waterways . The water in the blue lake is so pure  that it does not need filtering before it is supplied to the residents. In the city center is a building called Main Corner - a modern structure for visitors where there are art galleries & a film show  featuring how natural phenomenons like the volcano created the foundation of Mt.Gambier millions of years ago. 

Nextdoor is a giant sinkhole that was once a cave formed thru the dissolution of limestone. Its roof collapsed creating a sunken garden, naturally terraced & beautifully illuminated for a sound & light show every night.  The Tantanoola caves, a little outside the city, are a sight to behold.  A wooden door opens to a large cave chamber filled with the most breathtaking formations. I would certainly recommend Mt Gambier to my friends as well.

An amazing coastline stretches all along South Australia into Victoria. On a particular stretch called the Great Ocean Road, we gasped at the rugged splendour of the famous 12 apostles-magnificent rock stacks that rise up from the ocean floor. 

Constant erosion of the soft  limestone cliffs over millions of years formed caves in the cliffs.  The caves eventually became arches , and  when they collapsed, rock stacks up to 45 meters high were left isolated from the shore. Their shapes  keep changing  or they even collapse  as the mighty Southern Ocean pounds on them  constantly.

Rock stacks

After a most scenic drive we arrived in MELBOURNE ,  the capital of the smallest state of Victoria, and the cultural hub of Australia. The city is alive with cultural events &  arts festivals,  ballet & opera. It is also home to australia’s television & film industry,  famous  museums & art galleries. Not forgetting the venue of world class sporting events . The Crown Casino complex with its fine restaurants & high end shops  sits right by the banks of the Yarra River . The state of Victoria also boasts of hundreds of vineyards  and wineries.  A day driving  out of the city, tasting exquisite wines & fine cuisine for lunch is a great way to enjoy  the scenic countryside.  We had a marvellous time exploring the city & its surroundings with the several  friends  we stayed with.  

On to CANBERRA  the seat of Australian parliament. Most friends advised us that there really is not much to do in Canberra.   However  the war memorial itself was spectacular, &  there were several art galleries & museums to appreciate. A  tour inside the parliament house was also most interesting.  The city is planned around a man made lake & is most picturesque.

SYDNEY was our final destination. Besides being a commercial center, it is also home to the iconic  Harbour Bridge & the famous Opera House. A walking tour familiarises  one with downtown Sydney & its history.  Darling Harbour is alive at night with food & fireworks & entertainment for everybody.    A ferry ride takes you under the Harbour Bridge & to the famous Manly & Bondi beaches. Our friends kindly drove us to the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, and then south of Sydney along some its breathtaking coastline.

We hope you have enjoyed sharing our experiences. Until next time, G’day Mates !

Shirin n Moiz

Kuala Lumpur.