Once taller than the Andes, Uluru is now reduced to a smooth stub just 348 metres in height. It is stunning nevertheless, whichever angle it is viewed from. ▲
The author skydiving along with the instructor Alois David, who took this selfie. ▲
Spinifex, a form of desert grass found abundantly in the outback, in Alice Springs. ▲
The land of the Aboriginal people where no one else can go. ▲
Kata Tjuta, a multi-domed rock formation also known as Olgas, is where the Anangu believe the spirits of their ancestors reside and also where the initiation ceremonies of the male members of the family are held. ▲
Nectar from this plant is used by the Aboriginal people to sweeten their food. ▲
A waterhole near Uluru. The secret to surviving in the outback is to know the location of waterholes. ▲
An owl in Alice Springs. ▲
A cockatoo waits patiently near the only waterhole for miles around Uluru. ▲
A tree lizard at Alice Springs. ▲
Camels in the outback. Originally, camels were brought to Australia by Afghans, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Punjabis and Pathans. Now they are reared mainly for tourism. ▲
A wild emu. ▲
A wild wallaby. ▲
Telegraph Trail Station, Alice Springs. This 19th century telegraph station has been preserved intact to commemorate the pioneering spirit of a people who built the cable across mostly barren territory. ▲
Bance, an Uluru family member, displaying an old photograph as he narrates some of the Uluru traditions and customs on a tour of the Aboriginal lands. ▲
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), Alice Springs, renders medical aid to far-flung communities using small aircraft which also double as ambulances and ICUs. Started in May 1928, today the RFDS has 1,225 employees and 67 aircraft operating from 23 bases. ▲
Aboriginal art on display at the Crowne Plaza Lasseters Hotel, Alice Springs. ▲
Artwork by children in School of the Air, Alice Springs, funded by the Northern Territory Department of Education. ▲
A poster outside the School of the Air, Alice Springs. ▲
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