The large sandstone monolith in Australia’s Northern Territory is Uluru.
Also known as Ayers Rock, Uluru rises dramatically from the flat red centre of Australia, southwest of Alice Springs. It stands about 348 metres above the surrounding plain, though much of the formation extends underground. Its rusty red colour comes from iron-bearing minerals oxidising on the exposed surface of its arkose sandstone.
Uluru’s rock layers began as sediment deposited by ancient alluvial fans roughly 550–530 million years ago. Later geological forces tilted those layers nearly vertical, while erosion removed the surrounding landscape and left the resistant formation standing alone.
Uluru is deeply sacred to the Aṉangu, the traditional Aboriginal owners of the area. It lies within Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, alongside Kata Tjuṯa, a separate group of 36 conglomerate domes. Mount Conner is another nearby landmark and is sometimes mistaken for Uluru.