Kata-Tjuta

Valley Of The Winds Walk

Our last day at Uluru-Kata Tjuta was to be spent at the equally mystical formation of "many heads" or Kata Tjuta, to the west of the big red rock which had been our focal point for the first two thirds of our time here.

With a reasonable start, we were at the starting point for our walk by 8:45 anv the drive to the car park which marks the start of the "Valley of the Winds Walk" being 43 kms from our accommodation atYulara.

The walk commences with the usual necessary warnings about weather conditions, the need to carry water and a rating of the track. To date, no tracks we had walked in nine weeks on tour had been the equal in severity as those at our home base of the Warrumbungles. The possible exception may have been Boolimba Bluff at Carnarvon Gorge. However, we were aware the previous day a woman had broken her ankle during this walk, when she lost her footing andfell. Our sources had been the Rangers on our afternoon walk at Mutitjulu Waterhole. Their testimony was confirmed by the woman's husband, as the couple happened to be in the neighbouring campsite and we noticed her struggling in and out of their small dome tent with cast and crutches.

The first part of the walk ascended across the elevated scree slope of one of the inselbergs which make up Kata Tjuta. The white fellas name of The Olgas, had derived from the naming of Mt Olga, the highest peak among the large domes. This was given to it by Ernest Giles, in 1872, when he saw it from the northern side of Lake Armadeus. The Olgas differ from Ayres Rock in more than their appearance, as they are composed of conglomerate rock. Although both are sedimentary rocks, Ayres Rock is composed of a fine grained sandstone called arkose, whilst The Olgas are the classic conglomerate. Large rocks the size of over inflated footballs - and some larger - are embedded in fine mudstone and siltstone material which acted like a cementing mixture when they were laid down.

As a result, the rubble slopes about The Olgas are steep slopes of different sized, rounded rocks. Basalt and granite are the common rocks contained in the parent material. The creeks which flow after rain, show the continuation of this rock building process, with the beds strewn with different sized round rocks, waiting to be cemented into layers of sediment by the finer material.

Another major difference is the tilt angle of the beds. Whilst Uluru is almost 90 degrees from the horizontal, at Kata Tjuta the beds are little more than 15 degrees.

The first scree slope climbed, we descended on the other side as we passed between two of the domes - one steep sided and the other showing us a more gentle incline to its summit. At the base of the scree slope, we found a wet weather creek and our first canyon setting. Towering on three sides were domes of varying heights, imposing their importance on us from above.

The track reaches a junction, creating a circuit that can be walked from either direction. We chose to head south and in doing so, chose the easier direction of the two.

The southern leading track soon swings back east as it follows the contour of the huge inselberg above it and we were led into an increasingly narrow passage, through which the rainfed creek would roar in more precipitative times. Down low, the River Red Gums had etched a living: their roots buried deep in the sandy, hard soil. Spear Trees grew in impassable thickets and many wild flowers were giving us an early spring showing. Above us, the huge domes of Kata Tjuta stood silent, their orange glow pervading all and we were made to feel insignificant in comparison.

The track gradually climbed as it took an even narrower route between two of the taller domes. Climbing over a rock pile which told a geological story millions of years in the creating, we reached a point at which we could look behind and see the sheer rock walls of the domes standing at our shoulders and the narrow canyon oasis existing between them. In front of us, a wider open area expanded to be ringed by domes. We paused here for morning tea and a chance to allow the view to pass beyond the basic senses and sink deeper into the psyche.

With the exception of a few cheap jokes at the expense of the now customary Frenchmen who always
appeared when we wanted to sit and contemplate, we completed our business here in a most satisfactory manner and walked on.

The path tookus down onto the open area between the more distantly spread domes. In this place, Gidgie Trees grew strongly into those twisted and gnarled shapes which turn from benign to evil in the hour of light transition at day's end. Sunscreen provided us with our only protectionfrom the sun as we carefully picked our footing over the sometimes rough track.

As we headed north and then north west over this enclosed and rough plain, we again began to climb and were able to obtain views beyond the Olgas for the first time since starting the walk. The endless sandy plains to the north east were revealed in part, with their ample supply of desert oak covering an otherwise featureless plain.

The cause of our ascent was another scree slope, but it soon gave way to another descent. At the bottom of this slope, we had come almost full circle to the creek where the track had branched after 1.5 kms. At this northern end, an emergency drink station had been established. A small shade structure with a rain water fed tank located at its centre - therefore reducing evaporation by keeping the tank under the shade - had been set up to aid sufferers from heat stroke and other afflicted walkers.

It was apparent there were fools other than "mad dogs and Englishmen" who went out in the noonday sun and in summer too and hence this structure was vitalfor their safety. Even in the course of this walk - which was now at the 5 km mark - we had seen enough people who were ill prepared for the walk. No hats; little or no water; no idea of the track; no map; inappropriate clothing or footwear.

These were just some of the things the children observed!

One such chap we observed as we ate our lunch in this shady refuge. We saw him RUNNING down the rocky slope which led to the station, with a child of eight or so on his shoulders. No hat and only an empty 1 litre water bottle. He stopped, read the sign informing walkers the water was for emergencies only and then proceeded to refill his water bottle and drink ! The rest of his family came at fast walking pace down the hill. They drank deeply from his 1 litre bottle which he had again refilled following their gorging.

Lunch finished and visitors commented upon, we swung our packs back into position and completed this pleasant, but slightly testing walk by rejoining the track over the original scree slope. Exiting, we were afforded views of the Mann Ranges to the south.

Our return to the car was greeted, as always, with sighs of relief as the air conditioner started to take affect on the hot walkers. We drove back toward Uluru and stopped at the observation deck which had been set up on a permanent sand dune between Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Grating has been set in place for the walk up to the obsewation deck, where wooden seats and shade were available to sit and consider the view.

Who should come along, as we walked back to the car from this cleverly designed stopping place? Our jogging mate from an hour earlier ! Sans child this time, he was also without shoes. The desert sun had done its work in warming the steel grating and that, combined with the rough surface, made the going tough for our intrepid mental giant. He raced to the top of the dune, took a snap shot and then set outfor the return journey, hopping and cursing as he went.

We were settling into the car in preparation to leave the car park by the one way track, when he jumped in his own vehicle, warned his wife to never run barefoot on steel mesh and zoomed off, out of the car park, against the direction of the One Way sign !

TODAY'S PHOTOS

Our final port of call was the Visitor's Centre, where Sue and the children watched a video about the Anangu and I purchase a T Shirt and a video.

We bade Uluru goodbye, as we drove from the park, sad but complete. It had been an experience which even topped Kakadu and one that will ensure our return

Mutitjulu Waterhole

White Australians - Piranpa - first came into the general area of Uluru when John McDouall Stuart passed within 300km of Uluru-Kata Tjuta in 1860-62.

Ernest Giles had sighted "a high mountain" in 1872 in his attempt to force a pathway from the Overland Telegraph Line to the settlement on the Swan River (Perth). He got within a clear line of sight but was unable to pass through the salt pans and explore further.

It was William Christie Gosse who finally walked to and documented the "discovery" of the Rock, on July 19th, 1873. On the way he named the flat topped mesa to the east of the Rock, Mt Connor, after a Mr ML Connor. It was Gosse who named the Rock after Sir Henry Ayres, who was the then Premier and Chief Secretary of South Australia. Giles did eventually reach Uluru on another expedition on 9th June, 1874 and wrote eloquently of its appearance. He went on to find the pathway west and is considered an important adventurer and explorer in the white history of Australia.

Gosse, the first Piranpa to climb Uluru, went on to become Surveyor General of South Australia and died of a heart attack at the age of only 38.

Apart from one or two other expeditions which ventured to the Rock in the next twenty years after Gosse, there was very little contact by whites until the 1930's, when the possibility of pastoral leases was explored.

Two factors combined to do what no other combination of events in 20 000 years had done i.e. drive Anangu away from their traditional life at Uluru. A devastating drought hit the area in the early thirties and many perished owing to the lack of water and food. As if this was not hard enough, the growing incidence of police persecution was also having a negative affect on the relationship between Anangu and Piranpa.

The final act involved Paddy Uluru and his brother, who both had powerful links with the area, as shown by their last name. With others, they combined to kill and eat a steer on a property near Mt Connor. This was a growing problem in the relationship between white and black, as Anangu did not understand the concept of specific ownership of the animals to one man and often killed sheep or cattle when hungry. The fact these introduced beasts were reducing the native food population with their grazing, seemed to be something Piranpa were oblivious to.

Pursued by a certain Sgt McKinnon, the men returned in fear to Uluru and hid in a cave near Mutitjulu Waterhole, where Paddy's brother was shot and killed by Sgt McKinnon. The men then continued on foot, escaping under cover of darkness and hopping from one spinifex plant to the other so as to not leave tracks. Paddy Uluru took a wide circular path to the south and hid out on a mission, whilst most of the others did similar things in other parts of the country.

Anangu were terrified their lives meant so little to a supposed trusted man such as Sgt McKinnon and all of the people of Uluru and Kata Tjutafled to nearby missions and gave up their traditional lives. It was not until thirty years later that some, such as Paddy Uluru made the first tentative steps to return. Paddy was to become the driving force behind the land rights movement and the submissions he made before a parliamentary enquiry instigated by Prime Minister Gough Whttlam in 1973, led to a recommendation that ownership be passed back to the traditional owners, that they have a majority say in the management of the land and that tourist accommodation be moved away from the Rock.

In 1983, Prime Minister Bob Hawke intervened in what had become a long running and acrimonious debate with the Northern Territory Government and promised the land would handed back under the guidelines made in the parliamentary enquiry of ten years earlier. A little more than two years later, in a special ceremony at the base of Uluru, Sir Ninian Stephen handed title of Uluru back to Anangu. This emotional ceremony is remembered as Handback and on the 26th October, 1995, the opening of a new Cultural Centre at Uluru will mark the tenth anniversary.

The morning was spent in pursuit of mundane school matters: a task which seemed so trivial in comparison to the things around us, but this was not an attitude we intended to convey to the children.

As the lunch bell sounded, we were on the road for Mutitjulu Waterhole, where we spent a peaceful 45 minutes consuming our sandwiches and drinking in the atmosphere. We concluded our self-directed activities with a slow drive around the base of the rock, in an opposite direction to that which we had walked on the previous day.

By 3:00 pm, we had returned to Mutitjulu Waterhole to meet with Rupert and Peter, two Anangu members of the M u t i t j u l u community who were part of the Trainee Ranger Program. For the following ninety minutes, they led us through the area around the waterhole, sharing their traditional ways and stories with us. The Anangu do not agree with the Piranpa term "Dreaming" or "Dreamtime", as they feel these terms create an image in the mind of Piranpa that the things they talk of did not happen. Instead they talk of and are guided by the Tjukurpa. These are things which did happen and can be seen on the rock and in the land.

The story we heard this particular afternoon was of the Kuniya Tjukurpa or Woma python story.

Kuniya was a powerful Woma python who was gathering eggs one day when she heard her nephew calling for help, in pain. He had been struck down and wounded by the spear of Liru, the poisonous snake. She went to his aid and seeing him injured and Liru standing over him, she became very angry and smeared red dust all over her chest in preparation to fight. Kuniya killed Liru and then retrieved her wounded nephew and took him into the rock above the waterhole, where she lives today. She changed into a powerful Rainbow Serpent and watches over the waterhole.

When Anangu need water, an elder will climb up on the Rock and shout for water and Kuniya will send it. Hence, the waterhole never completely dries up. The shape of the rock faces, splits in the rock, holes, crevices and marks all bear out this story and were shown to us. The story was retold faithfully and with self-depreciaing humour by two keen, interesting men who wanted so much for this group of Piranpa to understand and appreciate their ways.

It was moving and impressive and we gained great joy from their time with us.

The only disturbing incident was when an ignorant woman tried to video tape part of the talk. The Anangu have made it clear they do not wish to be photographed or recorded on film or video tape. Rupert ran from her sight and shook his head and hands in horror and Peter turned his head and tried to ask her to stop. She denied filming them, but no one believed her. What happened next reaffirmed my faith in human nature. A retired gentleman who, with his wife, had attended a morning tour with Rupert and Peter, stepped up and stood close to Peter and between him and the lady with the video camera, all the while checking over his shoulder to ensure he was blocking her line of site!

We completed our day with another viewing of the sunset on Uluru - this time marred by cloud cover
on the western horizon and a yuppy couple beside us ! She adorned the bonnet of the hire car, lying back in a supposedly alluring state of repose, sipping on a glass of champagne, while he boasted of his work on the stock exchange. Perhaps someone should have told them they were not the attraction!

All was not lost, however, as we got some attractive shots of the sunset.

Chris again cooked tea and after showers and settling the children into their beds, Sue and I had a very interesting and most satisfying review of the day. Our discussion had as a theme, our thoughts on what we could do when we return to our "normal way of life" to enhance the possibility of unity between black and white. Our greatest fear is, there is a tale to be told, but because of problems on both sides of the racial fence, it is not being heard.