Kata Tjuta is a group of 36 rock domes located in central Australia near Uluru that are considered sacred by the local Anangu people. The domes are made of sedimentary conglomerate rock that is over 500 million years old. The Anangu are the traditional owners of the land and believe that Kata Tjuta is the home of the snake Wanambi according to their legends. Kata Tjuta is now protected as part of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, where rangers care for the landscape and work to conserve the local environment and culture.

1. B Y A M E L I E
KATA TJUTA

2. WHAT IS KATA TJUTA
• Kata Tjuta rock is a
conglomerate - gravel
made up of pebbles,
cobbles and boulders
and is cemented
together by sand and
mud. Conglomerate is
also a sedimentary
rock.

3. ABOUT KATA TJUTA
• Kata Tjuta, meaning
‘many heads’, is a sacred
place relating to
knowledge that is
considered very powerful
and dangerous, only
suitable for initiated men.
It is made up of a group
of 36 conglomerate rock
domes that date back 500
million years.

4. WHERE IS KATA TJUTA
• Kata Tjuta is
located about 365km
southwest of Alice
Springs, in the
southern part of the
Northern Territory,
central Australia.

5. THE TRADITIONAL OWNERS
• The traditional owners
of Uluru –Kata Tjuta
and the land around
are Anangu. They
have been here for
tens of thousands of
years.

6. THE LEGEND
• The Aborigines identify Kata
Tjuta as the home of the snake
Wanambi who, during the rainy
season, stays up in a
waterhole on the top of the
rocks. In the dry season he
moves down to the gorge
below. Wanambi uses the
caves on Mount Olga. The
hairs of his beard are the dark
lines on the eastern side of the
rock. His breath is the wind
which blows through the
gorge; when he gets angry it
can become a hurricane.

7. CARING FOR KATA TJUTA
• Park rangers and scientists to look after the land, plants
and animals according to traditional law. The Uluru-Kata
Tjuta National Park train the piranpa (non aboriginal
people) rangers in traditional land
management. Piranpa rangers bring scientific knowledge
to the park and the young Anangu (Aboriginal
people) are training to be rangers. They are studying
science as well as learning from the old men and
women.
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park a division of the Federal
Government Department of Sustainability, Environment,
Water, Population and Communities.

8. CONSEQUENCE OF CARING/
NOT CARING
• Caring
• Conservation of the culture, land
and animals
• Fire management
• Management of tourism
• Maintaining historical records
and recording of new information
• The park is recognised as a
protected area and World
Heritage listed cultural landscape
• It is a special place for Aboriginal
people and we need to care for
this
• Not caring
• The culture, land and animals
could be destroyed
• Tourists visiting and not
respecting the park
• No fire management
• No recording of information or
maintaining of old information
• Because of this it may no longer
be a World Heritage listed
cultural landscape
• It could be difficult for the
Aboriginal people to care for this
site without our support.

9. WHO TO CONTACT
• If you are not happy what is happening at Kata Tjuta you
can contact The Department of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities:
• Online (click here) and fill out the form
• Write to GPO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
• Email ciu@environment.gov.au
• Phone 1800 803 772 or +61 2 6274 1111

10. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• http://www.planetware.com/central-australia/uluru-kata-
tjuta-ayers-rock-national-park-aus-nt-arnp.htm, accessed
on 5 August 2013
• http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/tourism/uluru/downloads/Natu
ral%20values%20-%20Geology.pdf, accessed 6 August
2013
• http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/uluru/, accessed
on 5 August 2013