The Ayers Rock is located in the Northern Territory in the central part of Australia. It is known in the local (aboriginal) language as Uluru. The exact location of Ayers Rock or Uluru is at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. This national park is 440 kilometres southwest of Alice Springs. Uluru is considered to be sacred by the aboriginal people who reside in the area around the Ayers Rock. These native communities are known as the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara. Uluru is famous for its springs, watering holes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is a World Heritage Site recognised by the United Nations Organisation. It is one of the sites which has both natural and man-made features. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Australia. It was named after Sir Henry Ayers. Ayers was the chief secretary of the state of South Australia, in whose honour the more commonly-used name Ayers Rock was named by William Gosse, a surveyor who paid a visit to the rock on July 19, 1873.
