The 36 domes that make up Kata Tjuṯa / Mount Olga cover an area of 21.68 km2 (8.37 sq mi) are composed of conglomerate, a sedimentary rock consisting of cobbles and boulders of varying rock types including granite and basalt, cemented by a matrix of coarse sandstone. The highest dome, Mount Olga, is 1,066 m (3,497 ft) above sea level, or approximately 546 m (1,791 ft) above the surrounding plain 198 m (650 ft) higher than Uluṟu).[1] Kata Tjuṯa is located at the eastern end of the Docker River Road.
The other name, The Olgas, comes from the tallest peak, Mount Olga. At the behest of Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, Mount Olga was named in 1872 by Ernest Giles, in honour of Queen Olga of Württemberg (born Grand Duchess Olga of Russia, daughter of Tsar Nicholas I). She and her husband, King Charles I of Württemberg, had marked their 25th wedding anniversary the previous year by, among other things, naming Mueller a Freiherr (baron), making him Ferdinand von Mueller. The naming was his way of repaying the compliment.[3]
On 15 December 1993, a dual naming policy was adopted that allowed official names consisting of both the traditional Aboriginal name and the English name. As a result, Mount Olga was renamed Mount Olga / Kata Tjuṯa. On 6 November 2002, following a request from the Regional Tourism Association, the order of the dual names was officially reversed, to Kata Tjuṯa / Mount Olga.[4]
Geologic origin
The region surrounding Kata Tjuṯa lies in the Amadeus Basin, an intracratonic basin formed during the Adelaidian, roughly 850–800 million years ago.[5] During the Petermann Orogeny, approximately 550 million years ago, an event known as the Woodroffe Thrust lifted granulite facies rocks northward over low-grade metamorphic rocks. The eventual erosion of the formation resulted in a molasse facies, or deposition in front of rising mountains, in this case, the Petermann Orogeny, creating the deposit known as the Mount Currie Conglomerate. The Mount Currie Conglomerate is made predominantly of basalt, porphyry, granite, gneiss and volcanic rock fragments with a matrix composed of angular quartz, microcline and orthoclase among other minerals.[citation needed]
Both Uluṟu / Ayers Rock and the Kata Tjuṯa / Mount Olga are made of sediment originating in this Mount Currie Conglomerate and both have a chemical composition similar to granite. Scientists using Rubidium-strontium dating techniques to date the rock accurately have given it an age of 600 million years, matching the date of the Woodroffe Thrust event. The actual fresh rock that makes up the Kata Tjuṯa / Olgas and Uluṟu / Ayers Rock is medium to dark grey with green or pink hues in some laminae. The bright orange-red hue, for which the structures are noted, is due to a patina over finely divided feldspar coated in iron oxide.[6]
Legends
There are many PitjantjatjaraDreamtime legends associated with this place and indeed everything in the vicinity including Uluṟu / Ayers Rock. A number of legends surround the great snake king Wanambi, who is said to live on the summit of Kata Tjuṯa / Mount Olga and only comes down during the dry season. His breath was said to be able to transform a breeze into a hurricane in order to punish those who did evil deeds.[7] The majority of mythology surrounding the site is not disclosed to outsiders, and in particular, women. As is the custom, should women become privy to the "men's business", they are susceptible to violent attacks, even death. The Anangu people believe the great rocks of Kata Tjuṯa / Mount Olga are homes to spirit energy from the 'Dreaming', and since 1995 the site is being used once again for cultural ceremonies.[2]: 884–885
Locations, access and facilities
Kata Tjuṯa / Mount Olga can be reached via Ayers Rock Airport, followed by a 55-kilometre (34 mi) drive south, then west. Visitors are required to pay an entry fee.[8] Kata Tjuṯa is about 495 kilometres (308 mi) by road from Alice Springs, via the Stuart and Lasseter highways. It is a 4+1⁄2 hour drive.
Kata Tjuṯa / Mount Olga has both a sunrise and sunset viewing area, which are accessible via a short walk from Kata Tjuṯa Road.[9] There are also two walks that enter the domes of Kata Tjuta:
Valley of the Winds - 7.4km 7.4 km (4.6 mi) / 3-4 hours (Grade 4)[10][11]
Walpa Gorge walk - 2.6km 2.6 km (1.6 mi) / 1-2 hours[12]
Gallery
In the Valley of the Winds walk at Kata Tjuṯa / Mount Olga.
^Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 278. ISBN0-89577-087-3.
^"Passes and permits". Parks Australia. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
^"Sunrise and sunset". Parks Australia. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
^"Valley of the Winds walk". Parks Australia. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
^"Valley of the Winds track notes". Hiking the World. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
^"Walpa Gorge Walk". Parks Australia. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kata Tjuṯa.
- Australian Department of the Environment and Water Resources
A Report on the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa park on Parks Australia (Australian Government)
January 20, 2023
kata, tjuta, kata, tjuṯa, olgas, pitjantjatjara, kata, tjuṯa, many, heads, aboriginal, pronunciation, kɐtɐ, cʊʈɐ, group, large, domed, rock, formations, bornhardts, located, about, southwest, alice, springs, southern, part, northern, territory, central, austra. Kata Tjuṯa The Olgas Pitjantjatjara Kata Tjuṯa lit many heads Aboriginal pronunciation kɐtɐ cʊʈɐ is a group of large domed rock formations or bornhardts located about 360 km 220 mi southwest of Alice Springs in the southern part of the Northern Territory central Australia Uluṟu Ayers Rock located 25 km 16 mi to the east and Kata Tjuṯa The Olgas form the two major landmarks within the Uluṟu Kata Tjuṯa National Park The park is considered sacred to the Aboriginal people of Australia 2 884 Kata Tjuṯa Mount OlgaHighest pointPeakMount OlgaElevation1 066 m 3 497 ft 1 Prominence546 m 1 791 ft Coordinates25 18 S 130 44 E 25 300 S 130 733 E 25 300 130 733 Coordinates 25 18 S 130 44 E 25 300 S 130 733 E 25 300 130 733NamingNative nameKata Tjuṯa Pitjantjatjara GeographyKata Tjuṯa Mount OlgaUluṟu Kata Tjuṯa National ParkShow map of Northern TerritoryKata Tjuṯa Mount OlgaKata Tjuṯa Mount Olga Australia Show map of AustraliaAerial view of Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga The 36 domes that make up Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga cover an area of 21 68 km2 8 37 sq mi are composed of conglomerate a sedimentary rock consisting of cobbles and boulders of varying rock types including granite and basalt cemented by a matrix of coarse sandstone The highest dome Mount Olga is 1 066 m 3 497 ft above sea level or approximately 546 m 1 791 ft above the surrounding plain 198 m 650 ft higher than Uluṟu 1 Kata Tjuṯa is located at the eastern end of the Docker River Road Contents 1 Name 2 Geologic origin 3 Legends 4 Locations access and facilities 5 Gallery 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksName EditThe other name The Olgas comes from the tallest peak Mount Olga At the behest of Baron Ferdinand von Mueller Mount Olga was named in 1872 by Ernest Giles in honour of Queen Olga of Wurttemberg born Grand Duchess Olga of Russia daughter of Tsar Nicholas I She and her husband King Charles I of Wurttemberg had marked their 25th wedding anniversary the previous year by among other things naming Mueller a Freiherr baron making him Ferdinand von Mueller The naming was his way of repaying the compliment 3 On 15 December 1993 a dual naming policy was adopted that allowed official names consisting of both the traditional Aboriginal name and the English name As a result Mount Olga was renamed Mount Olga Kata Tjuṯa On 6 November 2002 following a request from the Regional Tourism Association the order of the dual names was officially reversed to Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga 4 Geologic origin EditThe region surrounding Kata Tjuṯa lies in the Amadeus Basin an intracratonic basin formed during the Adelaidian roughly 850 800 million years ago 5 During the Petermann Orogeny approximately 550 million years ago an event known as the Woodroffe Thrust lifted granulite facies rocks northward over low grade metamorphic rocks The eventual erosion of the formation resulted in a molasse facies or deposition in front of rising mountains in this case the Petermann Orogeny creating the deposit known as the Mount Currie Conglomerate The Mount Currie Conglomerate is made predominantly of basalt porphyry granite gneiss and volcanic rock fragments with a matrix composed of angular quartz microcline and orthoclase among other minerals citation needed Both Uluṟu Ayers Rock and the Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga are made of sediment originating in this Mount Currie Conglomerate and both have a chemical composition similar to granite Scientists using Rubidium strontium dating techniques to date the rock accurately have given it an age of 600 million years matching the date of the Woodroffe Thrust event The actual fresh rock that makes up the Kata Tjuṯa Olgas and Uluṟu Ayers Rock is medium to dark grey with green or pink hues in some laminae The bright orange red hue for which the structures are noted is due to a patina over finely divided feldspar coated in iron oxide 6 Legends EditThere are many Pitjantjatjara Dreamtime legends associated with this place and indeed everything in the vicinity including Uluṟu Ayers Rock A number of legends surround the great snake king Wanambi who is said to live on the summit of Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga and only comes down during the dry season His breath was said to be able to transform a breeze into a hurricane in order to punish those who did evil deeds 7 The majority of mythology surrounding the site is not disclosed to outsiders and in particular women As is the custom should women become privy to the men s business they are susceptible to violent attacks even death The Anangu people believe the great rocks of Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga are homes to spirit energy from the Dreaming and since 1995 the site is being used once again for cultural ceremonies 2 884 885 Locations access and facilities EditKata Tjuṯa Mount Olga can be reached via Ayers Rock Airport followed by a 55 kilometre 34 mi drive south then west Visitors are required to pay an entry fee 8 Kata Tjuṯa is about 495 kilometres 308 mi by road from Alice Springs via the Stuart and Lasseter highways It is a 4 1 2 hour drive Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga has both a sunrise and sunset viewing area which are accessible via a short walk from Kata Tjuṯa Road 9 There are also two walks that enter the domes of Kata Tjuta Valley of the Winds 7 4km 7 4 km 4 6 mi 3 4 hours Grade 4 10 11 Walpa Gorge walk 2 6km 2 6 km 1 6 mi 1 2 hours 12 Gallery Edit In the Valley of the Winds walk at Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga Astronaut photo of Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga In Uluṟu Kata Tjuṯa National Park Kata Tjuṯa Mount Olga Australia A panorama of Kata Tjuṯa Mount OlgaSee also EditErnest Giles Protected areas of the Northern Territory Recognition of sacred sites Tietkens expedition of 1889References Edit a b Uluṟu Kata Tjuṯa National Park Visitors Guide Retrieved 26 April 2013 a b Engels Christoph 2010 1000 Sacred Places Tandem Verlag GmbH Whitlam Institute University of Western Sydney Archived 2005 07 19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 28 March 2007 Northern Territory Government NT Place Names Register Retrieved 17 November 2007 Department of Agriculture Water and the Environment Department of Agriculture Water and the Environment Rowland Twidale Charles 2010 33 Uluṟu Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuṯa The Olgas Inselbergs of Central Australia Geomorphological Landscapes of the World Springer ISBN 9789048130559 ISBN 978 90 481 3054 2 Scheffel Richard L Wernet Susan J eds 1980 Natural Wonders of the World United States of America Reader s Digest Association Inc p 278 ISBN 0 89577 087 3 Passes and permits Parks Australia Retrieved 2017 09 28 Sunrise and sunset Parks Australia Retrieved 2020 11 01 Valley of the Winds walk Parks Australia Retrieved 2020 11 01 Valley of the Winds track notes Hiking the World Retrieved 2020 11 02 Walpa Gorge Walk Parks Australia Retrieved 2020 11 01 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kata Tjuṯa Uluṟu Kata Tjuṯa National Park Australian Department of the Environment and Water Resources A Report on the Uluṟu Kata Tjuṯa National Park Uluṟu Kata Tjuṯa park on Parks Australia Australian Government Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kata Tjuta amp oldid 1130861149, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
