of visiting at a time of reduced visitor numbers was the resort staff had time to talk to us . Staff were talking about the difficulty of having stayed at Yulara during the five and a half month COVID shut down period . They were incredibly happy to have visitors again .
Resort management had to manage a drop from normal visitor numbers of thousands of visitors a day before COVID to about 125 per day after reopening . This was an opportunity for us with a more relaxed time enjoying the peacefulness of the desert around Uluru .
It was just under 10 months since the climb had been closed . Visitors are no longer allowed to climb Uluru due to its significance as a sacred site to the traditional owners . Cultural tourism is now a focus for visitors . There are many interpretive signs around the base of Uluru increasing peoples understanding of traditional uses , cultural law and dreaming stories . The sacred rock keeping watch ensures people with an open minded can be drawn into the spiritual side of this country .
Today is the day . We are riding out to the heart of Australia . Heading to Uluru . The magnitude of this sandstone monolith dominates the landscape . The rock , growing in size as you approach . This sacred site emerging out of the flat landscape . The detail of the rock emerges with gully lines and caves . This is a place to enjoy a billabong and shaded crevice as tranquil places from the desert heat . The interpretive signs , the stories of dreaming , caves , and swirl holes from millions of years of weathering
The landscapes are stunning . Such a powerful rock formation in the desert stills the soul . It ’ s a different experience than being near the moving ocean – this is about slowing down and listening .
Listening to the dreaming stories , the wind the shifting sands .
The tones of red . The shadows , the depth drawing you forward to spend time absorbing the spiritual history of Australia . The light green of the Eucalypt leaves against the red and the kangaroo grass moving to the gentle breeze .
The red dirt pathway , is leading you , drawing you through the soft grass land , towards the trees . This is Mutitjulu Waterhole at the base of the rock . Catching and channelling the water . The water sitting under the cool of an overhang cave . The sacred water holes are so important for wildlife to survive . For how long have Aboriginal people camped at this site ?
Enjoy the billabong , caves , and rock paintings . Stop and listen … trickles of water … wind … the sounds of the desert . You have travelled thousands of kilometres to absorb this experience . Take some
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