Gosses Bluff

Uluru, Kings Canyon, and Alice Springs are common destinations for visitors to Australia's Red Center. All three of these "must sees" make the distance traveled to arrive at the center of a very large continent well worth the trip. But visitors should take a few extra days for some outback exploration, because there is plenty more out there. 

I strongly recommend Gosses Bluff, a crater-like formation that measures 5 kilometers in diameter and 150 meters in height, located 175 km west of Alice Springs. It is believed that the rock-rimmed hole was created millions of years ago when a very large comet or meteorite crashed into the earth. The original scar would have measured 22 kilometers in diameter, but over time erosion reduced it to it's present day size.

For the local Western Arrernte Aboriginal People, the site is known as Tnorala, and it is a sacred place. The traditional owners of the land believe that Tnorala was formed when a group of women danced across the sky as the Milky Way. During this dance a mother put her baby to rest in its wooden baby-carrier. The carrier toppled over the edge of the dancing area, crashed to earth, and forced the rocks upward, forming the circular mountain range. The baby's parents, the evening and morning star (Venus) continue to search for their baby.
Tnorala (Gosse Bluff) is a day-use area, with picnic facilities and short walks.