These fun Uluru facts for kids will help answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Uluru and give them some cool facts to share with their friends.
What is Uluru anyway?
Uluru is an enormous sandstone monolith (a geological feature consisting of a single massive stone or rock) that rises out of the desert in the centre of Australia. It is one of Australia’s most recognisable landmarks.
And Where is Uluru exactly?
Uluru is located in the Northern Territory in Central Australia. The nearest town to Uluru is Alice Springs. It is a 450km drive away.
Wow! That sounds like it’s a long way from anywhere!
Yep. In fact, Uluru is so remote that when the international space station passes overhead, you are closer to it than the nearest set of traffic lights or McDonald’s!
Cool! How high is Uluru?
Uluru is 348 metres high. That’s 24m higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Wow that’s high!
Yes but while Uluru is tall, Kata Tjuta is even taller! 198m taller in fact. At 546m it is the same height as the One World Trade Centre in New York.
And how big is Uluru?
Its circumference is 9.4km. You can walk all the way around the base of Uluru and the trail will take you around 3 hours to walk or 1.5 hours to cycle.
It’s so big! Is Uluru the biggest rock in the world?
I’m sorry to tell that Uluru is NOT the World’s largest rock! This is in fact Mt Augustus or Burringurrah in Western Australia. In fact it is about twice the size of Uluru.
Who owns Uluru?
Uluru and Kata Tjuta are owned by the Anangu people (pronounced arn-ung-oo), who lease the land to the Australian government.
Who are the Agangu people?
The Agangu are the traditional owners of Uluru. Archaeological evidence shows that the Anangu people have lived in Central Australia for over 35,000 years. This makes them one of the oldest living cultures in the world.
Wow, that’s old! So how old is Uluru then?
Uluru is believed to be 600 million years old. That makes it twice as old as the dinosaurs!
Are there any animals at Uluru?
Yes! Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is home to 21 different mammals, 73 reptiles, 178 birds and 4 species of frogs.
What about plants? Uluru is in the desert, does that mean there are no plants here?
The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is actually home to more than 400 plants, including several rare species. Many of these plants are used as food, medicine, fuel or for making tools by the Anagnu.
How many people visit Uluru every year?
More than 250,000 tourists visit Uluru every year, so don’t expect to have the National park to yourself!
Is there anything else special about Uluru?
Uluru has been awarded TWO World heritage listings. In 1987 it was made a Natural World Heritage site due to its unique geology. Then, in 1997, it was also put on the World Heritage site list due to its cultural importance.
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