Australia - Northern Territory - Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

AUSTRALIA
Lightning strikes over Uluru

Sent by Alison, a WiP partner from Australia.

Situated on the southern margin of the major Amadeus sedimentary basin, the park comprises extensive sand plains, dunes and alluvial desert, punctuated by the Uluru monolith and Kata Tjuta.

Uluru is composed of hard sandstone which has been exposed as a result of folding, faulting and the erosion of surrounding rock. The monolith has a base circumference of 9.4 km, smooth sloping sides of up to 80° gradient and a relatively flat top. Major surface features of the rock include sheet erosion with layers 1-3 m thick, parallel to the existing surface, breaking away; deep parallel fissures which extend from the top and down the sides of the monolith; and a number of caves, inlets and overhangs at the base formed by chemical degradation and sand blast erosion.

Kata Tjuta comprises 36 steep-sided rock domes of gently dipping Mount Currie conglomerate consisting of phenocrysts of fine-grained acid and basic rocks, granite and gneiss in an epidote-rich matrix. Kata Tjuta tends to have hemispherical summits, near-vertical sides, steep-sided intervening valleys and has been exposed by the same process as Uluru.

The vegetation, modified by substrate stability, climate and fire, can be grouped into five major categories, arranged concentrically around the monolith formations. First, Uluru supports hardy perennial grass in soil pockets, and sedge on very shallow soil; second, the Kata Tjuta foothills support annual grasses; third, the fans and outwash alluviums around the monoliths support a complex of open grassland, low trees and shrubs. During rainy periods this vegetation can be luxuriant. Fourth, the plains area supports dense groves of mulga, acacia and native fuschia. Fifth, the sand dunes, rises and plains are dominated by spinifex grass.

There are 22 native mammals found in the park, including dingo, red kangaroo, common marsupial mole, hopping mouse, several bat species including Australian false vampire, bilgy, occasional short-nosed echidna, and several small marsupials and native rodents. Introduced red fox, cat, house mouse and European rabbit, in addition to feral dogs and camels, compete with indigenous species. More than 150 bird species have been recorded in the park, and all five Australian reptile families are represented.

The park, and in particular the Uluru monolith, is one of several equally important and interconnected centers of local and religious significance scattered throughout the extensive area of western central Australia occupied by Aborigines. Cave paintings on Uluru, some of which are considered to be ancient, indicate the length of time Aborigines have been present in the area. Traditional religious philosophy, Tjukurpa, provides an interpretation of the present landscape, flora, fauna and natural phenomena in terms of the journeys and activities of ancestral beings and consequently binds the people socially, spiritually and historically to the land.

The site is an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement representative of Aboriginal culture, directly associated with religious and cultural traditions. (Source)

Australia - Aboriginal Children

A group of Aboriginal Children in Alice Springs, Northern Territory.

Sent by Vikki, a postcrosser from Sydney, Australia.

Australia - Darwin

DARWIN
Northern Territory, Australia.
Sunset, Cullen Bay, Aerial, Berry Spring.

Sent by Gloria from Northern Territory, Australia.

This is from Wikipedia : Darwin (pronounced /ˈdɑrwɨn/) is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 124,800, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities. It is the smallest and most northerly of the Australian capital cities, and acts as the Top End's regional centre.

Darwin has grown from a pioneer outpost and small port into one of Australia's most modern and multicultural cities. Its proximity to Asia makes it an important Australian gateway to countries such as Indonesia and East Timor. The Stuart Highway begins in Darwin, ending at Port Augusta in South Australia.

The city itself is built on a low bluff overlooking the harbour. Its suburbs spread out over some area, beginning at Lee Point in the north and stretching to Berrimah in the east—past Berrimah, the Stuart Highway goes on to Darwin's satellite city, Palmerston, and its suburbs.

The region, like the rest of the Top End, has a tropical climate, with a wet and a dry season. It receives heavy rainfall during the Wet, and is well-known for its spectacular lightning.

The original inhabitants of the greater Darwin area are the Larrakia people. On 9 September 1839, HMS Beagle sailed into Darwin harbour during its surveying of the area. John Clements Wickham named the region "Port Darwin" in honour of their former shipmate Charles Darwin, who had sailed with them on the ship's previous voyage which had ended in October 1836. The settlement there became the town of Palmerston in 1869, and was renamed Darwin in 1911.

Having been almost entirely rebuilt twice, once due to Japanese air raids during World War II, and again after being devastated by Cyclone Tracy in 1974, the city is one of Australia's most modern capitals.