The Olgas are a large and impressive looking set of rock formations in the shape of domes located to the west of Ayers Rock. This formation is believed to have formed during a similar time that the Ayers Rock was formed, and the Olgas are often included in tours.

If you are wondering what the Olgas are made of, then the answer is that they are made up of 36 rock formations. However, it is thought that the Olgas were actually formed by one huge piece of rock, much like Ayers Rock, before being weathered down in a process that spanned millions of years. The result of that process would be what we call The Olgas today, where the rock has split into many smaller rocks. The Olgas are located 35kms west from the location here Ayers Rock can be found along Lasseter Highway.

The highest point of the Olgas is called Mount Olga, which is 546m high, which is even 200m higher than the highest point of Ayers Rock. While the circumference measures somewhere around 22kms, there are grooves in the rock that visitors can walk straight through in order to take in some stunning vistas, as well as less crowded areas to take in the sights from.

Those who are looking for a little hike will be happy to know that the Olgas feature a variety of walks, ranging from as short as 600m to more than 7 kilometres. The most popular walk also happens to be the easiest one, and it is called the Walpa Gorge walk, which is 2.6kms in length. Those who have a little bit more time to invest might be pleasantly surprised at the enjoyment they find in the Valley of the Winds Walk, which will lead them through a looped trail, featuring a number of fantastic places to look out from and see some gorgeous sights. However, those looking to brave this walk might want to come early, due to the fact that it can get very hot and the walk takes three hours from start to finish.

Although not nearly as popular as its neighbour, the Ayers Rock, the Olgas are an extremely fascinating, beautiful and breath taking rock formation that is definitely worth a visit while you are in the area. Those who want to get the most out of their time in the Northern Territory and seeing what Uluru has to offer should definitely clear some time in their schedule to see Ayers Rock and it’s less famous neighbour, the Olgas. It is recommended to get the best out of your trip to see these magnificent sights that groups make their way out to see Ayers Rock sometime before sunrise, do the climb if they are interested in it, and then carry on to see what the Olgas has to offer and make their way through some of the loops available to travellers there.

It is truly fascinating to see the Olgas, a structure that was once one large rock, but one that is now made of 26 rock formations afternatural processes had acted upon it for millions of years.

Photo Credits:
www.hayleyanderson.com
www.spiritland.net

When it comes to a trip to the Northern Territory, there is a lot to see, do, and enjoy. Those visiting this area and locations nearby Erldunda and Uluru should not take a single moment for granted, and be sure to take advantage of every minute of their vacation by taking in all of the sights and opportunities for adventure that they possibly can.

One such way to soak in adventure and sightseeing is through backpacking. Although backpacking isn’t for everyone, but for many, it is a favouriteactivity to do while on vacation in Australia. The following is a list of some of the best backpacking oops for Kings Canyon for travellers to the Northern Territory to consider during their stay:

• The Rim Walk: After a challenging climb of 500 steps to the summit during this trek, you will be faced with the fantastic view of Watarrka National Park. Visitors will love this opportunity to take in the sight before them and enjoy the beauty that nature has to offer. After this, the trail descends into what is called the Garden of Eden, a beautiful green oasis that travellers would not want to miss. The colours of this 3.5-hour walk are beautiful during sunrise and sunset, the best times to take the walk. The beautiful colours of nature during this time make the Rim Walk a great opportunity to soak up some of the sights that nature has to offer.
  
• South Wall Return Walk: This walk is actually part of the previous walk listed, the Rim Walk. The South Wall Return Walk follows a track that allows travellers to walk up the point typically used for descending during the Rim Walk, until they reach the canyon’s south wall. From here, they have a perfect view into the Garden of Eden. This walk allows people to see the canyon in a shorter timeframe, as this loop takes just 1.5 to 2 hours.
  
• The Kings Creek Walk: This walk takes backpackers up the canyon’s centre to look out on the valley’s left hand side. This gives them a view of the sheer cliff face at the canyon’s end, which they can take in without the strenuoustrek that backpackers must experience for the two aforementioned loops. This is a shorter walk that offers plenty of shade, making it a good choice for those in search of a more moderate trail to walk upon. This also means it is a good option for the whole family, as it is not too hot or physically demanding.
  
• Kathleen Springs Walk: This walk is one of the easiest loops available to visitors at Kings Canyon. The track features signs detailing stories of Aboriginal Culture. The trail leads walkers to a spring-fed waterhole at Kathleen Gorge, at which point visitors can take a moment to sit down and enjoy the beauty and nature surrounding them.

When it comes to backpacking in the Northern Territory, Kings Canyon is a must-see, with trail options for all ages and levels of difficulty.

Photo Credits:
http://southaustralia.com
www.ausemade.com.au
http://rockytravel.net
www.pedalundergrace.files.wordpress.com

Dreamtime stories are stories that reveal the Aboriginal understanding of why the world operates in the way that it does. The Dreamtime, according to the Aboriginals, is the beginning of all the world’s knowledge, and from this, laws came into existence that must be observed in order to survive. These stories were told in places such as Red Centre in the Northern Territory in order to explain the order of the universe. A lot of these stories featured the Australian animal, the Emu, which is a flightless bird. One of these classic Aboriginal Dreamtime stories explains the reason that the Emu cannot fly, and it goes as follows:

Dinewan the Emu and Goomble-Gubbon the Plain Turkey

The Emu was the largest of all the other birds in Australia, and thus came to be acknowledged as king by all of the other birds that inhabited the area. The Turkeys, however, were all quite jealous of the elite status of the Emus and found their kingship to be extremely unfair. One Turkey in particular was especially enraged by the Emu’s size and consequent position of power among the birds. Her name was Goomble-Gubbon, and she was the mother of all of the Turkeys. She would enviously observe the Emus as they ran swiftly through the plains and took to great heights in the sky as they flew, mighty and powerful.

As time went on, Goomble-Gubbon’s anger and jealousy at the Emus only grew as she observed them flaunting their size, speed, and high flights. She slowly concocted a plan to knock the Emus off of their pedestal and give herself and her children a fair shot at competing with them for supremacy. Goomble-Gubbon fiercely believed that the time had come for the rein of the Emus to end once and for all.

Goomble Gubbon chose Dinewan the Emu to be her victim. Rather than pick a fight with Dinewan, however, Goomble-Gubbon decided to trick the Emus into falling to their demise. She strategically waited for the right moment to strike.

One day, Goomble-Gubbon spotted Dinewan in the distance running in her direction. She squatted down in a fashion that effectively blocked her wings from the view of the oncoming Emu. In doing this, Goomble-Gubbon successfully tricked the Emus into cutting their own wings off.

The Turkey laughed aloud in triumph, jumping up and down to celebrate her successful victory over the longtime king of the birds. She joyfully declared, “Ha ha ha, you have been de-thrones, you stumpy wings. My wings are still attached, but now you will never be able to fly again, for the rest of for days! Ha ha ha!”

The Emu was absolutely devastated at how naïve and gullible she had been to fall for the jealous Turkey’s trick. She cursed herself and vowed to get her revenge on Goomble-Gubbon for the injustice she had committed. Like Goomble-Gubbon had done before, she carefully waited for the right moment to enact her plan for revenge.

One day, the Emu got two of her young ones to follow her and left the others in another spot. She walked proudly passed Goomble-Gubbon the Turkey with her head held high and laughed at the Turkey and all of her children.

Goomble-Gubbon asked the Emu why she had just two of her children and the Emu told her, “It is so much easier to find food for all my children with only two. It is difficult to gather enough food with as many as twelve children.”

Realizing that Dinewan the Emu had a good point with this statement, the plain turkey immediately killed all of her children but two of them. The Emu then laughed at the Turkey and declared, “You foolish Turkey. I tricked you—I can find food for all my twelve children. Now you have only two while my children are alive and well. That is what you get for getting me to cut off my wings with your dirty trick.

Ever since these events transpired, the Emu has been unable to fly, and the Plain Turkey can only lay two eggs per season.