Danish Queen Mary has told the ABC her first trip to Uluru was “magical” as she and husband King Frederik X begin their second day of their royal tour of Australia.
The couple were up before dawn today to walk the short Kuniya track to the Muṯitjulu Waterhole, one of the few permanent sources of water at the rock, after taking in the sunset the day before.
Usually at sunset, Uluru blazes a fiery red, an image replicated on postcards a million times over.
The king and queen were up early to watch the sunrise over Uluru on Saturday evening. (AFP: David Gray)
But last night the royals were treated to a rarer sight — the ancient monolith softened to mauve by the rain and light-grey clouds above.
The sunset viewing of Uluru, guided by Aṉangu traditional owners, was the final item on the agenda for the royal couple on day one of their six-day tour of Australia.
They arrived at Uluru Kata Tjuṯa Cultural Centre yesterday afternoon where they were greeted by traditional owners and watched an “inma”, or ceremonial dance, while the Aṉangu sang around them.
King Frederik and Queen Mary walk towards Uluru during a sunrise visit to the Muṯitjulu Waterhole in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. (AFP: David Gray)
Mary smiled as she took in the dance, wearing an Akubra, chic beige culottes and a grey blouse, fanning away an onslaught of persistent flies that had not been deterred by the rain.
Members of the Danish press quietly giggled at the sight of some of their country’s royal officials reduced to donning daggy, yet entirely necessary, flynets.
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The couple then travelled to Yulara where they met with Indigenous trainees at the Kulata Academy Cafe, who presented the royals with dishes made with native ingredients, including finger lime and quandong tea.
At the sunset viewing site, press photographers clamoured for a shot of the queen and king walking towards their destination on a different kind of red carpet — the sandy red of the desert.
This morning their majesties got even closer to the iconic site in a guided tour of the Kuniya Walk and stunning sacred Muṯitjulu Waterhole.
Renowned artist and traditional owner Valerie Brumby was one of two Anangu guides who took the royal couple through the sacred site, sharing the tjukuṟpa, or story, of the area.
On his way out of the waterhole, King Frederik said he even tasted a honey ant and, as she left Uluru, Queen Mary told the ABC it had been her first visit to the Red Centre icon.
“We’ve had a great walk around, it’s magical,” she said.
Ms Brumby, who spoke in Pitjantjatjara translated by Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park Manager Shaeleigh Swan, said she felt happy to be a part of the king and queen’s journey.
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“This morning we got up early and we took them for the sunrise walk,” she said.
“We took them through to the waterhole.
“It felt really good and I feel really happy to share.”
Frederik and Mary are not the first special guests to visit the waterhole, with the British royals and even the Dalai Lama making the trek in previous years.
King Frederik is shown around the national park by local guides. (AFP: David Gray)
The walk is the site of one of Uluru’s creation stories in which the Kuniya, or the woma python woman, and the Liru, a poisonous brown snake man, engage in a deadly battle.
After visiting the sacred waterhole, the couple will head to Canberra with a jam-packed itinerary, highlighted by a 21-gun salute at Government House today and a dinner hosted by Governor-General Sam Mostyn.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.abc.net.au ’
