On our last tour day at Yulara we were treated to a helicopter ride so we could see Uluru from the air. It stands out, a huge rock in a red desert, as though some God had plucked it out from somewhere else and placed it on the plain. Kata Tjuta looks like a pile of pebbles such as a child might make on a beach.
So – what are they? How did they get to be there?
The Anangu people, the traditional custodians of these lands, have their own stories. They are deeply intertwined with Tjukurpa, the Anangu word for “Dreamtime” or creation stories, which explain the formation of the land, its features, and the spiritual essence that resides within them. While these stories are sacred, and many details are kept private within the Anangu community, some legends are shared more widely.
One public story about the formation of Uluru involves two ancestral beings known as the Liru (venomous snake people) and the Kuniya (python people). According to the legend the Kuniya woman came to Uluru with her nephew, and while there, she learned that her nephew had been killed by the Liru. Enraged, she fought and defeated the Liru warrior, marking the landscape in the process. The scars of this epic battle, according to the Anangu, are visible on the sides of Uluru in the form of physical indentations and features. The story symbolizes themes of revenge, kinship, and survival, and explains the shapes and crevices on the rock’s surface.
The Anangu also have a creation story connected to Kata Tjuta. Again, much of this knowledge remains sacred and is not shared openly, but there is a public story about Wanambi, a snake king who lives at the top of Mount Olga (the tallest dome of Kata Tjuta). According to legend Wanambi’s presence brings rain and thunderstorms, and he has the power to control the weather. He only comes down from his home during the wet season, where his presence can be felt as powerful winds that swirl around the domes. It is said that Wanambi has the ability to punish those who break the laws of the land.
Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta are seen as living landscapes that are home to ancestral beings. Every feature of these formations—caves, ridges, and waterholes—holds spiritual meaning and is connected to the Anangu’s Dreamtime stories. These legends are not only about the physical formation of the landscape but also about moral lessons and the rules of law, conduct, and respect within their culture. Out of respect for Anangu tradition, certain sacred stories are only shared among initiated members of the community, and many areas of these formations remain off-limits to the public to protect their spiritual integrity.
But of course there is a scientific explanation.
Around 550 million years ago, an ancient mountain range once dominated the landscape. Over time, the mountains eroded, and their sediments collected in the nearby Amadeus Basin. Layers of sandstone, siltstone, and a conglomerate of various rock fragments built up, eventually hardening under pressure, creating layers of sedimentary rock. Over time, tectonic forces tilted these layers, in the case of Uluru at an 90° angle, resulting in its steep vertical appearance. The Rock is primarily composed of arkose, a type of coarse-grained sandstone rich in feldspar. Uluru’s striking red color comes from the oxidation of iron-bearing minerals within the sandstone. Like an iceberg, most of its bulk is below the ground extending far down perhaps as much as 6.5 kilometres.
Nearby Kata Tjuta is quite different.
About 300–400 million years ago, tectonic forces caused the Earth’s crust to shift, pushing up the rock layers and creating the domes we now recognize as Kata Tjuta. Wind and rain then worked to erode the softer surrounding material, leaving behind the smoother, rounded formations. Unlike nearby Uluru, which is mostly sandstone, Kata Tjuta is composed of a unique conglomerate rock, containing fragments of granite and basalt held together by sandstone.
Here’s an interesting article explaining the geology of the two formations
That evening, our final night at the park, we were treated to a dinner in the desert – and a wonderful performance by the Seven Sopranos.
It was a truly magical night. I think Wanambi came down from his home on Mt Olga and stalked around the horizon, bringing with him thunder and lightning (but not where we had our dinner and concert). It did rain on the Rock, but not enough, I suspect, to get those waterfalls running.
And then there was the wonderful singing. The ladies sang arias from operas, tunes from several musicals – and this one as an encore.
It was a fantastic trip with lots of experiences. We loved it. Imagine Holidays did a great job putting this package together. We’d certainly book through them again. And now it’s back to unpacking…
This is the seventh post for this trip. If you missed anything, pick up the whole journey here.
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