I received a couple of guesses on this place, on my Facebook account. As I warned you, you all might think it is a different place. You might think it is Uluru in the outback of Australia. Well, you are very close. It is in the outback of Australia about 16 miles east of Uluru. It is Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas. It is a group of large domed rock formations called bornhardts, like Uluru/Ayer's Rock). They are made of the same rock called a conglomerate which includes granite and basalt cobbles embedded in sandstone. All these cobbles are cemented together by this dramatic red sandstone. There are 36 separate domes in this formation unlike Uluru which is one megalith. The highest dome of the Olgas is 3,497 feet (1066 meters) above sea level, and about 1791 feet (546 m) above the surrounding plain. That height is 650 ft (198 m) higher than the neighboring Uluru. The tallest dome is called Mount Olga, name in 1872 by Ernest Giles in honor of Queen Olga of Wurttemberg. In 1993, a policy was adopted that allows both the traditional Aboriginal name and the English name to be used.
Above are several views of the Olgas. There are several trails that intertwine among them. I wished we had had more time to hike among them. Below is a satellite photo of Kata Tjuta/ the Olgas showing how extensive these 36 domes are.
Now of course I have a lot of photos of Uluru, 16 miles distant showing the effects of the various lighting on the monolith. Hit Read More below to see photos and read about Uluru, the better known of these sandstone monuments in the Australian outback near Alyce Springs.
