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

Uluru

Excited, we were up and away, entering Uluru-KataTjuta NP, some 8 kms away, at 7:40 am and were confronting Ayres Rock at a personal distance by 8:00 am. Even at this early hour, the south western face which has the famous chain shooting skyward, was alive with people which seemed to turn to slow moving ants further toward the top. Some groups were on their way down, some seated at various stages of either the ascent or descent and many, many more were on their way up.

Our plan of attack was to circle the rock with a base walk which would cover 9 kms and visit the many significant aboriginal sites identified.

We watched the steady flow of humanity along the chain for some minutes, before heading away on the Mala Walk to the north. We all watched with different feelings. For some, it was keen anticipation and excitement. However, for me, it was a growing sense of unease at what I had seen. As we walked, I ruminated on the severity of the incline up the rock and the exposed nature of it. Surely, this would be the most dangerous thing we had ever taken the children on. It is a place renowned for winds changes resulting in strong gusts which can remove the feet from beneath your legs. On such a slope, that could be disastrous. I began to seriously doubt my own capacity to complete such an arduous climb, but even more, worry about the descent that would follow it. With tired legs and one child who suffered occasional vertigo, this could be very nerve racking.

Our base walk proceeded and we visited unexpected oases of green vegetation below waterfalls which only operate after rain. Such was the volume of rain which fell during these times, vegetation was established here and suwived the infrequency of the water supply.

There were amazing caves which held great significance to the Anangu - aboriginal people - of the area and often these and other shelters we walked through and in, had decorated walls of native rock art.

The Anangu say the large rocks that are Uluru and Kata Tjuta came into being during the Tjukurpa, or time of creation, when giant creatures who were their ancestors, roamed the land and fought battles. The main creator were Mala (The Rufous Hare Wallaby), Kuniya (the Woma Python) and Liru (the poisonous snake). These creator beings travelled all over the Central Australian area, building up mountains and gouging out rivers so that humans who came after them could live. Many of the Rock's markings are the result of fights and activities of these creator beings.

Start of the Mala base walk

The paintings here were nowhere as clear as those at Kakadu, but they were of a different type. There are, however, two special areas at the base of Uluru which are fenced off to non-aboriginals and are registered sacred sites. I imagine, ceremonial art work would be present here, but it is rightly being protected from view because of its significance.

One area, especially moving for us, came in the last hour of our circumnavigation, at Mutitiulu Waterhole. This is the only permanent water hole about the Rock and as such, is visited by a host of animals and birds. It was in this place Kuniya fought a fierce battle with the Liru. Marks on the rock tell the story of what happened. There was a eerie quietness to this place. It felt special.

As we completed our circuit, five plaques were spotted, fixed to the rock near the commencement of the climb. Chris, Sam and I inspected them and found them to be memorial plaques to people who died in attempting to climb Uluru. One named a 63 years old who had died at the top of the rock and then the inscription went on to tell us climbing the rock had been a life long ambition (which had eventually killed him, it would seem !). In the past thirty years, twenty five people have died on Uluru and the Rangers average a rescue every two weeks.

At the base of the rock, near the start of the climb, a warning to all potential climbers was posted and a request from the Anangu for people to find a alternate activity to do, rather than climb. This further fuelled my unease and by now I had decided we should not attempt it. However, this view was not shared by Sue. She believed she was fit enough to climb it and intended doing so the following morning. Our drive to the Visitor's Centre could be best be described as hostile, with my opinion of the reasons not to climb being refuted by Sue's desire to complete the task. Not on speaking terms, we went our separate ways into the Visitor's Centre and the decision whether or not to climb took on an entirely different and substantial perspective.

Here were the words of the Anangu, urging people not to climb and the reasons why. First and foremost, the climb is of specific culhiral and religious significance to them. Only initiated men are
allowed to complete the climb and then only to "plant the pole" prior to certain ceremonies. Anangu do not otherwise climb the rock. Secondly, they were saddened every time someone was hurt in attempting the climb and believed they were to blame. The walls screamed at us not to profane their beliefs and law I lore by climbing Uluru.

Having seen this and believing what we did, following our experiences at Kakadu, we could not climb. As disappointed at not making the ascent as she was, Sue had no hesitation once she read their words and the reasons, in detail. To do otherwise would be to dishonour Anangu. This did not alter the basic disagreement between Sue and I as to her level of fitness, but we ultimately had to agree to disagree on that topic.

We returned to camp for a late lunch and then to Yulara for groceries and the removal of my stitch. This minor surgical procedure was conducted by a member of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, so I really felt part of the outback, now.

I purchased an outstanding book by Stanley Breeden, which showed Uluru-KataTjuta NP in the context of the people and the significance of the whole place. It was an excellent buy and a compendium for the book we bought about Kakadu and its people.

Back to camp to store the shopping and consume two litres of ice cream and final acquiescence to the children's request to go swimming. The water was freezing cold, but at least their mother had delivered on an earlier promise.

Still shivering, the crew took the trip back to the NP to view The Rock for the remaining hour before sunset.

Video tape machines were buzzing, clicking and beeping and shutter releases snapping open at afrenzied rate as the big rock underwent several changes of hue before the sun finished with her for another day. Unlike Standley Chasm, the changes of colour were more dramatic because of the greater speed with which they happened. Early in the pre-sunset time, the details of the face of the rock were clear and the colour a chocolate brown. As the angle of the sun's rays decreased as it lowered to the horizon, the colour deepened through blood red, to orange, to purple. Finally, a glowing dark silhouette was all we could discern.

Like many aspects of Kakadu. this was an event we had read about, been told about and anticipated throughout the entire build up to our trip - ten years in all! Cynicism had cautioned Sue and me against disappointment but again, it was unwarranted. In fact, the experience was greater than we expected.

Our return to camp in the early evening was a happy one, uplifted as it was by the beauty we had seen and knowing our decision not to climb was the right one.

TODAY'S PHOTOS

Chris cooked the evening meal on the bbq and we sat about under the stars, reflecting on our satisfying day. For the adults, the realisation that we had planted a memory that would always bind the five us - a shared experience which tied us inextricably together - was a powerful reminder of the importance of our role.

Alice Springs to Uluru

Uluru
Erldunda, Mt Ebenezer, Curtain Springs (Stuart & Lasseter Highways) 454 kms

We excelled again in the packing up of the tent and gear and we were off and away by 9:00 am.

Each kilometre south took us a little closer to Soutlh Australia and a new chapter of our trip. For now,
however, we had the final, dramatic part of the Northern Territory to act out. The road south was smooth and steady and we travelled along at the desired rpm of 1700, which had appeared to give us our best fuel consumption.

Morning tea was taken at a roadside stop beside the Finke River and despite the heat (34 degrees C) we enjoyed our biscuits and cuppa. Whilst we were in the midst of enjoying it, an ex army staff car, used in WWII, pulled up with a trailer in tow. As part of me Australia Remembers celebration, a convey of army vehicles had gone north to re-enact the transport line which established the Stuart Highway between Adelaide and Darwin during the Second World War. Many old diggers had travelled the old route in relative comfort, fifty years after their original weeks of slogging through boggy, rough dirt and mud tracks. Painted in army green, it was a Special Deluxe Desotto, imported from USA by the US Army. Lovingly restored, it was in mint condition and I was able to speak with the owner and his sons.

Putting this chance encounter behind us, we continued south, pausing long enough only for fuel at Erldunda and then turning west for the final 260 kms to Uluru. Lunch was taken at a very dusty picnic bench beside the road at Mt Ebenezer.

Onward, ever onward, we ploughed toward the Rock: each kilometre raising our level of anticipation.

Mt Connor

We failed to be fooled by the fiat topped Mt Conner, as we had been warned by Pa the first of the inselbergs we would see was not Ayres Rock. We renamed this perfect example of a mesa "Fooly Rock" and drove on. At this point in the drive, the sand dunes which Sue had so wanted to see, were more than evident. Large rolling dunes of sand fixed by the sparse grasses and low, twisted trees and shrubs, formed a succession of obstructions to our view, as our necks craned this way and thatfor the first sight of Uluru.

First sight of Uluru

I was the first to catch a glimpse of Australia's most famous icon, as we crested another dune and started down the other side. Soon, we were all tracking it as we progressed at a seemingly slow pace.
First impressions were of a large purple mountain, way off in the distance, but as we got closer, we realised the impression of distance is caused by the sheer size of the thing.

It had been a long day. In our entire trip, there was no other day where we all were so focused on where were headed. There was no doubt this had been the most anticipated place of the trip, among the children and close to the same for the adults. Excitement balled in the pits of our stomachs for much of the journey.

We booked into the Ayres Rock Campground - not without some aggravation and trouble - and set about cooking our tea on the free gas bar-b-q's installed adjacent to our site.

Following tea, I contact Teng to say hello. Avoiding school conversation was difficult, but necessary if I was to remain detached and relaxed. However, the mention of some restructuring in the DSE soon had me on the phone to my relief, Peter Mclnnes, to determine what was happening. The resultant news was a bombshell, but not entirely unpredictable to those who had watched developments during the past few years and listened closely to what the political masters had been saying. The initial sounds of how it will affect the school sounded reasonable, for a number of important reasons.

The immediate effect was to make sleep difficult. I grabbed the opportunity to write some letters to friends and eventually dropped into bed after midnight.