You would know ULURU - the "Rock formerly known as Ayers Rock"...till 1987. It's been shown countless of times on TV to symbolize the heart and soul of Outback and Aboriginal Australia. [see the colour changes of Uluru during sunset]
Where on earth is Uluru located, you may ask, mate? It is situated 465 km south-west of Alice Springs. A 348 m high sandstone monolith, it has a circumference at its base of 9.4 km. Europeans called it Ayers Rock after South Australian Premier Sir Henry Ayers. It attracts more than 400,000 tourists a year, 63 % of these are from overseas. [see panorama taken at the base of Uluru]
So, how is Uluru (and Kata Tjuta) preserved and protected? In 1985, the Hawke government granted the Aboriginal people of the area - the Anangu - freehold title of Uluru and Kata-Tjuta, formerly known as the the Olgas. The Anangu people the leased the land back to the Commonwealth for 99 years to be jointly run by the traditional owners and the government as Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. A board of management runs the park.
Kata Tjuta - always in Uluru's "shadow" Well not quite, as Kata Tjuta is actually taller than Uluru, and it's "round the corner" about 49km from Uluru. [see panorama at a viewing area for Kata Tjuta] One of the earliest non-aboriginal person to set eyes on Uluru and Kata Tjuta Ernest Giles said in 1873 - " Kata Tjuta is the more wonderful and grotesque, Uluru is the more ancient and sublime". The formation of Kata Tjuta (meaning "many heads" in Aboriginal language) covers about 35 square kilometres. It's highest point is is the top of Mt. Olga at 546 metres which is 200 metres higher than Uluru.
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