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New Sunrise Area for Uluru


The Federal Government has announced that it will be providing a truckload of cash to proceed with the proposed new Sunrise Viewing Area for Uluru. A couple of weeks ago (30 April), Astrid and I visited the site of the proposed new viewing area for sunrise. We got up really early and took the camera gear. The proposed site is very peaceful (yeah, obviously it will be a little different when 23 coaches and 200 cars full of people are also parked there... but... it should still be somehow peaceful) and provides a stunning vantage point for watching the early morning shadows and colours on Uluru. Locally, there have been one or two grumbles about the new site (mainly from some Alice Springs tour operators) but I think that most people will be very satisfied with the new location when completed in 2008. The current Sunrise Viewing Area is an absolute disaster zone. It is far too close to the Rock itself, it focuses very heavily on some of the most sacred areas of Uluru and the roadway cuts right through the middle of the viewing area. Although the new viewing area focuses attention on the southern face of Uluru, my original worries about the sun
not hitting this face seem unfounded. If anything, the effect of the sun slowly hitting the Rock from side on seems to provide more striking photography and visual enjoyment. I took some photos to showcase the view from this proposed new site.