Ian
priscilla 1The Australian Outback
September 11th 2009 12:10
The Australian Outback is as vast, varied, intriguing, beautiful and unforgiving as anywhere on Earth. Mark Brown at Money Hacker has written a fantastic article introducing this area of our country to the world. Read his full article here or check out a sample below.
Uluru, or Ayers Rock. Lies 335 km outside the small central town of Alice Springs. The giant red monolith stands 348 m high and is 9.3 km in circumference. As the sun rises and sets, the reflection casts different light upon the sandstone making it appear as if it is changing colour. Its appearance also varies according to the time of year.
As the sun descends behind the horizon it illuminates the day left behind in a deep red. This particular cloudy sky catches the final rays of the sun’s light turning them a pinky/orange hue. The few trees that can survive the hostile climate and harsh landscape are cast in deep shadow against the dying light.
If you’ve never heard of them before, road trains are simply several carriages pulled by one truck. They are used to transport goods across the great distances of the Outback with some hauling up to 200 tonnes of freight, though the majority are between 80 to 120 tonnes.
Whether it may be coast to coast or to and from extremely remote communities, these workhorses transport all kinds of goods, including cattle, fuel, mineral ores and consumer goods. Coupling up several trailers has proved to be a cost-efficient way of transporting goods, especially to the most remote areas.
The red soil of Australia is truly a sight to behold, especially when the sun hits it, creating a fiery glow. An abundance of iron ore gives the soil its vibrant red colour but also, unfortunately, make it less suitable for cultivation. Coupled with a distinct lack of moisture across the continent, it means that much of the Outback remains a dry, barren dustbowl.
Australian Aboriginal rock art is thought to be tens of thousands years old. There have been some finds in the Olary region of South Australia that date back some 40,000 years. The rock art generally depicts everyday Aboriginal life as it once was. Examples include carving, as above, but there are also numerous paintings of animals, symbols and significant characteristics of Aboriginal life. These particular images are thought to be stars.
The Outback provides one of the clearest views of the heavens above. A combination of low humidity and minimal interference from ambient electric light allow for perfectly clear views of the stars – the sort that most urban stargazers can only dream of! Out here it’s possible to truly grasp the enormity of the heavens as they open up and surround you for as far as the eye can see.
Uluru
Sunset
Road Train
Whether it may be coast to coast or to and from extremely remote communities, these workhorses transport all kinds of goods, including cattle, fuel, mineral ores and consumer goods. Coupling up several trailers has proved to be a cost-efficient way of transporting goods, especially to the most remote areas.
The red soil of Australia is truly a sight to behold, especially when the sun hits it, creating a fiery glow. An abundance of iron ore gives the soil its vibrant red colour but also, unfortunately, make it less suitable for cultivation. Coupled with a distinct lack of moisture across the continent, it means that much of the Outback remains a dry, barren dustbowl.
Red Earth
Aboriginal Rock Art
Navigating by Starlight
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