Australia: a continent of contrasts

Australia has been occupied by human beings for at least 40,000 years. As in other parts of the world, humans have made significant changes to the landscape, in order to satisfy their needs.

This has resulted in a continent of contrasts, where visitors can enjoy a vast range of experiences, from exploring ancient rainforests and deserts to travelling leisurely along country roads, where on either side stretch vast fields of wheat and canola.

They may see some of the unique animals that call Australia home, such as kangaroos and wombats. But they are just as likely to see some of the animals that have been introduced from other countries in recent years, such as rabbits and foxes.

Visitors come to Australia to see world famous natural attractions, such as Uluru (Ayers Rock), the Great Barrier Reef and the Bungle Bungles.

Uluru, or Ayers Rock, is a huge sandstone rock, approximately 348 metres high.

Tourists who walk around the base of the rock cover a distance of approximately 9.4 kilometres.

The rock is described as an inselberg, which means an isolated hill or mountain, protruding from a flat plain.

Most of the rock lies beneath the surface of the land, in the same way that most of the bulk of an iceberg lies beneath the surface of the sea.

Visitors are drawn to the rock because of its imposing size and natural beauty. It is also very popular with photographers, since it changes colour, depending on the weather conditions and the time of the day.

The most spectacular shots are usually obtained at sunrise and sunset, when the rock glows red in the sun.

Uluru, which is approximately 450km south-west of the town of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, is sacred to the local Aboriginal people, the Anangu.

In 1873, the surveyor, William Gosse, named the striking rock formation, Ayers Rock, after the Chief Secretary of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers.

However, the rock's official name has been Uluru since 1985, when the land was returned to its traditional owners.

Uluru is listed as a World Heritage site.

For more information about Australia, see: http://travelaustraliaandoverseas.blogspot.com/