Developing career paths at Uluru

February 2010
Uluru is about to survey populations of the threatened marsupial mulgara - with traditional Indigenous tracking skills now an integral part of the survey design.

Anangu already share traditional knowledge to help manage controlled burns and feral cats and foxes and senior Anangu work alongside trainee Anangu rangers to mentor them and pass on traditional skills.

And two new workforce development coordinators - Terri Fallows and Josh Quarmby - have begun work with the the Mutitjulu community to develop workready skills such as literacy and numeracy, computer skills and healthy living.

Terri and Josh are liaising with employers such as tour operators Anangu Waai and Voyages who operate Ayers Rock Resort to help develop new tourism jobs.

Rain continues at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

January 12 2010
Rain has eased but the landscape is a riot of green at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park following substantial rains recently. The past five days have seen a remarkable 52.4mm dumped over the area - that's a third of last year's total rainfall. The bright yellow honey grevilleas are flowering, succulents like parakeelyas are purple, sweet smelling cassias are erupting in yellow flowers and many wattle are blooming such as the witchetty bush and mulga trees.

Walking tracks and roads in the park remain open, and if further rains fall visitors may be lucky enough to see spectacular waterfalls over Uluru during the rain, especially at Kantju Gorge and Mutitjulu Waterhole. Precautions are in place to ensure visitor safety in the event of further localised flooding - visitors can check in with staff at the Cultural Centre for today's conditions. People are advised to follow all sign instructions, drive carefully on park roads, and take care on the walking tracks which may be muddy and slippery.

New Plan of Management for Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 2010-2020

January 8 2010
Environment Minister Peter Garrett has approved the new management plan for Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, including a requirement that clear preconditions be met before any plans to replace the climb with new visitor experiences could proceed.

The plan was prepared by the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Board of Management who had responded to public feedback on its draft plan, released last July, by developing the preconditions.

Media release | Download the new Plan of Management for Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 2010-2020 >>

Severe storm hits Uluru and Kata Tjuta

December 2009
Hatches were batoned and police and residents on alert as Uluru/Yulara prepared to receive to receive its worst storm in a decade. Ex-tropical cyclone Lawrence had travelled thousands of kilometres inland with an intensity not normally ever witnessed by those in the Central Australian Desert.

Trees were brought down, waterfalls erupted and waterholes filled to overflowing as Uluru was lashed by the worst storm in a decade. Ex-tropical cyclone Lawrence brought torrential rains and winds up to 120km per hour as it passed within a few hundered kilometres of the national park. Visitors and residents witnessed spectacular and rare scenes of the great monolith just prior to 5pm on Wed 23rd Dec, as waterfalls erupted and became thunderous torrents, dumping millions of litres of water into waterholes at the base and covering walking tracks knee deep in minutes.

Video image shows incredible scenes at Mutitjulu Waterhole at the base of Uluru as ferocious winds up to 120kms per hour tore through the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park on Wednesday 23rd Dec just before sundown.

Watch a video clip of the storm courtesy of zimbio.com and Reuters News Video.

Find out more about water at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park >>

Talinguru Nyakunytjaku | new viewing area

October 8 2009
Talinguru Nyakunytjaku offers visitors stunning new views of both Uluru and Kata Tjuta from a previously inaccessible area of the park. The area allows visitors to see Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the wider desert landscape of spinifex covered dunes and swales, dotted with kurkura or desert oaks.

More information about Talinguru Nyakunytjaku | Media release

New park notes

October 7 2009
A series of fact sheets about different aspects of, and related to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
See the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park - Park Notes