Gallery of log for Uluru/Ayres Rock Directional Table
Notes of Beryl Miles visit in 1951 suggestive of a cache hunt...
We knew that on the very top there was a cairn of stones containing a jar with the names of those who had climbed The Rock. I was longing to add my name to it.
I shall never forget the feeling of anticipation when, finally, we did reach the cairn and I bent down to lift off the first stone, then the next and the next, and then the horrible sinking feeling that followed as only more and more stones appeared under-neath. Perhaps the bottle had been stolen.
Then, suddenly, there was a glint of glass—two jars, both containing scraps of paper with names on—and a small flat cigarette-tin with the name 'McKinnon' scratched on the lid.
As if to make things quite perfect, the very first paper I pulled out of the bottle read as follows:
'Wed. 4.9.47. Arthur Groom of Binnie Burie, Queensland and Tamali Talkajeri (Tiger) of Hermannsburg Mission, leaving one native boy Erowa one third of the way up . . . via Lake Amadeus. Tomorrow we go to Mt. Olga. Signed : Arthur Groom. (and a row of hieroglyphics from Tiger)'
It was a proud moment when I added my name to those in the bottle.
From The stars my blanket https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/19014568
We knew that on the very top there was a cairn of stones containing a jar with the names of those who had climbed The Rock. I was longing to add my name to it.
I shall never forget the feeling of anticipation when, finally, we did reach the cairn and I bent down to lift off the first stone, then the next and the next, and then the horrible sinking feeling that followed as only more and more stones appeared under-neath. Perhaps the bottle had been stolen.
Then, suddenly, there was a glint of glass—two jars, both containing scraps of paper with names on—and a small flat cigarette-tin with the name 'McKinnon' scratched on the lid.
As if to make things quite perfect, the very first paper I pulled out of the bottle read as follows:
'Wed. 4.9.47. Arthur Groom of Binnie Burie, Queensland and Tamali Talkajeri (Tiger) of Hermannsburg Mission, leaving one native boy Erowa one third of the way up . . . via Lake Amadeus. Tomorrow we go to Mt. Olga. Signed : Arthur Groom. (and a row of hieroglyphics from Tiger)'
It was a proud moment when I added my name to those in the bottle.
From The stars my blanket https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/19014568
