The Red Centre - Australia 2004 - page 389

When You See the Southern Cross for
the First Time . . .
Light pollution is extremely low out in the Red Centre, so the night sky is
a dazzler. At the Ayers Rock Observatory, you can check out your zodiac
constellation and take a 1-hour tour of the Southern Hemisphere heav-
ens. (They're different from the Northern Hemisphere stars.)
To visit the observatory, you must join a tour with Discovery Ecotours
(formerly Uluru Experience) ( & 1800/803 174 in Australia, or 08/8956
2563), which provides hotel pickup and a tour. Tours depart twice a night;
times vary. It costs A$30 (US$20) for adults, A$22 (US$14) for children 6 to
15, and A$63 (US$41) for a family.

Moments

room with bathroom; A$162 (US$105) budget room without bathroom. Low season A$350 (US$227) double;
A$172 (US$112) budget room with bathroom; A$152 (US$99) budget room without bathroom. Bunkroom
bed A$40 (US$26), dorm bed A$32 (US$21) year-round. No children under 16 in bunkhouses unless you book
entire room. AE, DC, MC, V. Free airport shuttle. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; unheated outdoor swimming
pool. In room:A/C. Hotel and some budget rooms only: TV (w/pay movies in hotel), fridge. Hotel only: Mini-
bar, hair dryer, iron. Phones in hotel rooms only.
INEXPENSIVE
Moderately priced cabins and inexpensive bunkhouse and dorm beds are avail-
able at the Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge, above.
Ayers Rock Campground Instead of red dust you get green lawns at this
campground, which has barbecues, a playground, Internet access, and clean
communal bathrooms and kitchen. If you don't want to camp but want to travel
cheap, consider the cabins. They're clean, modern, and a great value; each has a
kitchenette, dining furniture, a double bed, and four bunks. Thrifty ( & 08/
8956 2030 ) at Uluru rents a complete camping kit with sleeping bags, tents,
cooking equipment, and so on, to its customers for A$36 (US$23) per day for
two people; book it ahead. Hertz ( & 08/8956 2244 ) rents camping gear if you
rent a large four-wheel-drive for a week or more.
Yulara Dr., Yulara, NT 0872. & 08/8956 2055. Fax [phone] tent sites, 198 powered sites,
14 cabins, none with bathroom. A$148 (US$96) cabin for up to 6 people; A$24 (US$16) double tent site. Pow-
ered sites for motor homes A$15 (US$9.75) for the first 2 people, A$12 (US$7.50) for each additional adult,
A$5.80 (US$3.80) for each additional child 6-15. Unpowered sites A$12 (US$8.20) for the first 2 people, A$11
(US$7.15) for each additional adult, A$5.80 (US$3.80) for each additional child. Family rate A$36 (US$23).
AE, DC, MC, V. Free airport shuttle. Amenities: Unheated outdoor pool; coin-op laundry; small general store.
In room: Cabins only: A/C, TV, fridge, no phone.