Random Fact – Ayers Rock
Ayers Rock is a giant red rock formation in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the largest monolith in the world at 1,143 feet high and about 6 miles in circumference. The landmark, which the Aborigines call Uluru, is the outcrop of a huge bed of sandstone formed about 600 million years ago. The rock changes color according to the altitude of the Sun. The surface of Ayers Rock has paintings and carvings made thousands of years ago by the Aborigines, who believe the rock to be sacred. It is named for Sir Henry Ayers, who was the Premier of South Australia when the rock was first recorded. The rock is most impressive at sunset, when it is colored a fiery orange-red by the sun’s rays. The buildings of the tourist resort near Ayers Rock are colored to blend in with the surrounding desert.