If you followed along with our adventure to Star Stuff III in Byron Bay, then you know we traveled to Uluru as part of our two-week stay in Australia.
Not only did we want to see and experience the outback, but we wanted the best chances for clear, dark skies in the desert to see the Southern Hemisphere Milky Way in all its glory.
Given our experience, we thought we could provide some insight into our trip and pass along what we learned about astrophotography in Australia’s red center – including a few curve balls that we weren’t expecting.
Unfortunately, you won’t find any video footage of Uluru – find out why in the video.
Getting to Uluru
The town of Yulara is in the Northern Territory of Australia and is nearest to the Uluru World Heritage site. It is part of the Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara country, home of the Anangu people (pronounced arn-ung-oo) – the traditional owners of this region.
The closest airport is Ayers Rock, which is only 8 minutes away from the resort area of hotels. You can fly directly to this airport from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Cairns via Virgin Australia or Jetstar.
There are not always a ton of flight times offered. For example, we flew into Ayers Rock from Brisbane on a Wednesday and stayed until Friday. We would have stayed until Saturday, only there were no flights leaving Ayers Rock that day, so we had to shorten the trip.
If you are staying at one of the many hotels that are a part of Voyages Resort (one of the only places to stay in Yulara), they provide airport transfers to and from the resort. Simply look for your hotel bus when you exit the airport, and they will drop you off at your hotel. Similarly, check in with the front desk for your return bus ride when it’s time to leave.
There is also a campground, which is part of the Resort, where you can camp under the dark southern skies. Unfortunately, this requires a lot more gear that we didn’t have room for, but if you are local to Australia and have the option to drive, you could make this happen.
You may also see flights into Alice Springs but note that this town is a 4.5-hour drive to Yulara. So, if you choose this option, you will also need to rent a vehicle.
Voyages Resort
When you are looking for accommodations, you will notice that there are limited options outside of Voyagers Resort. Also referred to as Voyages Ayers Rock Resort, it is a group of hotels that are part of a resort complex within the city of Yulara.
Your choices of hotels (ranging from 5 stars to 3.5 stars) include Sails in the Desert, Desert Gardens, Emu Walk Apartments, The Lost Camel, Outback Hotel and Lodge, and the campground.
We stayed at the Desert Gardens Hotel. We chose this option because there was an outdoor patio area with tables and chairs available for each room, with a sliding door to go in and out. In the past, we have found that these types of ground-floor rooms are better suited for astro.
Not only do they give you a chance to sit and watch your gear from the patio while it’s running (which we recommend), but you also have easy access to come and go from your room to make adjustments etc.
Getting Around
As mentioned, for getting around the resort, there is a free shuttle bus service that circulates the resort every 20 minutes, from 10:30 am to 12:30 am.
The bus stops at:
- All hotels
- Campgrounds
- Resort Town Square
- Museum
- Uluru Camel Farm
It does not go to the National Park, so you will either need to book a tour that offers pickup/transfer or opt to rent a car at the airport when you arrive. There are a few options for rental car companies, including Avis, Hertz, Thrifty.
Map of Resort Locations | Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
Dining Options
Within the group of hotels operating as a resort, there are several different dining options.
These restaurants include:
- Ilkari Restaurant at Sails in the Desert
- Mangata Bistro and Bar at Desert Gardens
- Arnguli Grill at Desert Gardens
- Geckos Cafe at Town Square
- Kulata Academy Cafe at Town Square
- Ayers Wok at Town Square
- Outback BBQ and Bar at Outback Hotel and Lodge
It is fairly easy to walk to most of the restaurants, but as mentioned, you can also take the shuttle. We opted for the Geckos Cafe most of the time because it was the closest casual option to our hotel.
There is also a grocery store on-site, in the town square. To save money, you can pick up some items here to have in your room.
If you are looking for beer or wine to take back to your room, you can only purchase it at the Outback Bottle Shop, which is inside the Outback Hotel and Lodge. We found this out after checking the grocery store and asking the attendant at the gas station, as it wasn’t listed on their information sheets. Be prepared to pay big bucks (like $50 for a 6 pack of beer!).
Planning for a Night of Astrophotography
The Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park’s operating hours vary from season to season. During their winter months (aka Milky Way season), it’s open from 6/6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., which means you have to exit the park by 7:30 p.m.
If you are interested in doing astrophotography with Uluru in the background, you will want to take advantage of some of the nearby lookouts, including Ewing Lookout and Uluru Lookout. You can reach Ewing by shuttle until 12:30 pm but if you hope to image later than that, you will need to have your own vehicle.
Imalung Lookout (Uluru).
If you do have your own vehicle, the elevated lookout on top of a sand dune beside the Lasseter Highway, about halfway between the park entry station and Ayers Rock Resort, is another spot.
Your other options are:
- Imaging the night sky, without Uluru, from your hotel grounds (which is what we did).
- Signing up for an astro tour and bringing your gear. Be sure to sign up for this tour BEFORE you arrive.
Targets
If this is your first time under southern hemisphere skies, then you are going to want to go after a stunning Milky Way shot. This was our goal and was reflected in the gear we decided to bring.
Southern Hemisphere Milky Way
Depending on what gear you decide to bring, other great targets include:
- Carina Nebula
- Omega Centauri
- Centaurus A
- Large and Small Magellanic Clouds
- Tarantula Nebula
- Prawn Nebula
- Running Chicken Nebula
- Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex
Gear
For this trip, we decided to bring star trackers and DSLR cameras for portability. In addition to attending the Star Stuff conference and traveling to Uluru, we were in Australia for two weeks total and had to haul our equipment around from city to city.
This also meant we could remain extremely portable as we were able to run both star adventurers off battery power, since we weren’t sure where we would be setting up until we arrived.
For more information on how we typically pack when flying with astrophotography gear, click here.
The gear we packed for Australia
Trevor’s Set Up
- Camera: Canon EOS Ra
- Lens: Sigma 24mm
- Tripod: Radian Carbon Fibre
Ashley’s Set Up
- Camera: Canon R
- Lens: Canon RF 15-35mm
- Tripod: Moman
Carina Nebula with Canon EOS Ra and TPO 180 – 187 x 30 seconds at ISO 1600
Polar Alignment
This was our first time imaging from the southern hemisphere, so polar aligning without the North Star was new.
We brought our Sky-Watcher star trackers (Star Adventurer and Star Adventurer 2i ) and switched them to star mode. We then focused on a bright star and continued to take test shots until there were no star trails at a 30 second exposure.
To our surprise, we were able to align our trackers fairly quickly (which was a relief) and continued to set up the rest of our imaging plan on our intervalometers.
Location
This will largely depend on your surroundings, but a higher vantage point might offer you better views of the horizon depending on what you are shooting. We ventured up to the top of a nearby sand dune for the second night.
Given the amount of tours that happen at night, there are lots of people active after the sun goes down. Pick a location that won’t obstruct walking paths or dirt roads to ensure the safety of your equipment.
Looking for a spot during the day also helps you navigate getting to the spot once it’s dark out.
Clothes
The mornings and nights can be cooler in the desert, so be sure to pack some warmer clothes, especially if you are traveling during the winter.
Layers can help you stay comfortable, including jackets and long-sleeved shirts. Be sure to bring a sun hat and water bottle for the hot days.
We mostly wore sweatshirts and sweatpants at night, and it was more than enough to keep us warm. We did bring winter coats and toques just in case we needed them.
Light Pollution
Before arriving, we looked at the destination on a light pollution map to discover that it was a Bortle 4. This was surprising, considering there are essentially no other large developments outside of Yulara. However, once we arrived, we understood the cause.
The localized light pollution at the resort was awful. All the hotels had outward-facing lighting that was way brighter than necessary. And in some cases, there were two sets of lights to accomplish the same purpose.
Light Pollution at the Sails in the Desert Hotel and surround properties
We still managed to do astrophotography from our resort, but it was a shame to see the skies ruined for guests who might be interested in stargazing. They also sell tours for drone shows that showcase the stories of the night sky, which could be told under a naturally dark sky instead.
Astrotourism is clearly a draw with the available tours they promote. It’s unfortunate that they don’t do a better job of respecting the night skies of the Anangu people.
Culturally Sensitive Areas
There are many culturally sensitive areas in Uluru.
If you are viewing from any of the resort viewing platforms, the north-east face (which is the side facing the resort) is considered culturally sensitive and cannot be displayed in clear view.
Instructions from Australian Government and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
When filming or photographing from these areas, ensure that the left half of Uluru is naturally obscured by shadow, a bush, a sand dune, or a person out of focus. The best time to ensure the north-east side is not in clear view is to image at sunset.
All images taken once the sun has set are fine – but note that abiding by the culturally sensitive requirements may not be enough. You may still require a permit to photograph Uluru.
Media Permits for Uluru
If you are looking to photograph or film Uluru, you will likely need to apply for a permit. We were informed about this the day we left for Australia, after being in conversations with resort staff for over a month.
After confirming we were only a YouTube channel and not members of the media, a documentary crew, or taking pictures to sell, they indicated that “any YouTube channel or social media profile with a significant following would need a permit if either Uluṟu or Kata Tjuṯa is to feature.”
These requirements seemed a bit vague to me, as there is no indication of what constitutes a ‘significant following’, so just be mindful that this could include your social media platform or channel depending on its size.
A clearer definition would certainly help people better prepare, because it was a huge disappointment to not be able to share any footage from our trip to Uluru.
Be sure to review the media guidelines prior to your trip so you can determine whether you need a permit or not. Also leave enough time for permit approval, as we were denied due to short notice, having only found out about the permit after we had already left for Australia.
As part of your media permit, all images and footage showing Uluru and Kata Tjuta must also be submitted to the Media Office for assessment prior to publication to ensure culturally sensitive areas are not included or obstructed accordingly. Simply blurring these areas doesn’t count, and is not allowed.
In our research, we found many YouTube channels and other astro accounts with video footage and photos of Uluru (some for sale) – it’s hard to say if they all applied for permits or whether this is enforced – but we didn’t want to take any chances.
Tours and Other Activities
There are loads of tours and activities to choose from when visiting. I would recommend booking them before arriving to ensure you get the ones you want, as they do tend to full up before arrival.
For any activity or tour that involves going into the National Park, you will need to purchase a national park pass, in addition to your activity/tour ticket. National park passes are $38 per adult.
We went cycling around Uluru (through Outback Cycling). We had to purchase our tickets (with transfer) from the tour company, plus have our park passes purchased to show them before getting on the bus.
Here are some interesting tours/experiences:
- Outback Cycling: 3-hour ride around the base of Uluru for $119 per person, including hotel pickup (national park pass not included in price). Drive from the hotel to the Cultural Centre, where you collect your bikes, is 20 minutes.
- Uluru Astro Tour: 2.5 – 3 hour tour leaving an hour after sunset for $129 per person. See the paragraph about a media permit.
- Sounds of Silence: 4-hour dinner under the stars, leaving one hour before sunset for $283 per person.
- Helicopter Flights: 15-minute flight over Uluru for $195 per person or 25-minute flight over Uluru and Kata Tjuta for $315 per person. See paragraph about culturally sensitive areas and media permit.
Helpful Tips:
- Sign up for tours before you get there: if there is an activity you have your heart set on doing, but sure to book it before you get there. Tours fill up, especially once people arrive and have a chance to chat with tour reps.
- Uluru is expensive: we found Australia to be expensive in general, but Uluru is even worse. Expect to pay $25+ per meal and even more for alcohol and activities/tours.
- Voyages Resort is cashless: there is no cash accepted at any of the hotels, restaurants, or tour companies at the resort; credit cards only.
- Baggage fees: it may be worth it to book flight tickets that include a checked bag if you think you’ll need it. Purchasing a one-way checked bag (23 kg/ 50 lbs) way $75+. We needed a checked bag for our tripods, which don’t fit in our carry-on bags.
- Make plans for a permit just in case: given the vague nature of their permit requirements for social media channels, you may just want to play it safe and apply for a permit anyway. You wouldn’t want to plan your entire astrophotography trip around getting the shot you want with Uluru, only to realize you need a permit.
Conclusion
Though we couldn’t share any video footage about our trip to Uluru, we really did have a great time. We enjoyed experiencing a new part of Australia, different from the coastal region of Byron Bay, and seeing the landscape of the Red Centre.
My favorite part was seeing and imaging the Milky Way from our hotel and seeing just how different the night sky is in the southern hemisphere (Orion upside down, the Milky Way overhead, new targets etc.).
Though it was the only activity/tour we did, I would highly recommend cycling around the base of Uluru with Outback Cycling. It was a great way to see Uluru up close and learn more about the significance of Uluru for the Anangu people.
We hope this guide helps you in planning your ultimate trip to Uluru, and helps you avoid any unfortunate surprises upon arrival. Clear skies!
Ashley is an environmental educator, communication professional, and astrophotographer. She has extensive experience writing for large audiences to increase public awareness and engagement. Ashley is an active Advocate and Delegate with DarkSky International, helping to protect the nighttime environment from the harmful effects of light pollution through advocacy and outreach.
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