Dine under a desert sky

Dining under the dazzling night sky of the Australian outback is one of those magical moments you can treasure forever. There are three outdoor dining experiences to choose from when you visit Uluru. Each with menus featuring ancient Indigenous flavours as part of Ayers Rock Resort’s Bush Tucker Journeys program, and each shared under the stars in a timeless landscape that never ceases to impress.

 

SOUNDS OF SILENCE

An iconic award-winning outback dining experience, Sounds of Silence is celebrating an important milestone this year – its 25th anniversary. It is so revered it has a place in the Australian Tourism Hall of Fame and it is easy to see why.

Imagine sipping sparkling wine and enjoying canapés such as house-smoked crocodile on cucumber with desert lime as you arrive at the sand dune viewing platform. The haunting sounds of the didgeridoo hums in the background in the shadows of the majestic landscape as the night sky darkens and the stars appear.

A bush tucker inspired buffet showcases ingredients like crocodile, kangaroo, barramundi, and for dessert, quandong apple crumble and desert lime and macadamia cheesecake. Sit back and listen to our resident star talker as the wonders of the southern night sky are revealed and mystical stories fill your dreams.

 

Dining tables set up outdoors at dusk
Dinner by candlelight in front of Field of Light at Ayers Rock

 

Tali Wiru

Capturing the magic of fine dining under the Southern Desert night sky, Tali Wiru, meaning ‘beautiful dune’ in local Anangu language, is an open air restaurant with magnificent views of the Uluru and the distant domes of Kata Tjuta.

An intimate affair with just 20 guests, you are welcomed by the haunting sounds of the didgeridoo as the sun sets. Canapés including pan seared scallop with gulgulk beurre noisette or smoked kangaroo and kutjera crostini are accompanied by champagne.

The exclusive four-course table d’hote menu offers pressed wallaby or beetroot and Illawarra plum mousse as an entrée, while main course gives you the options of Wagyu beef fillet or pan-roasted toothfish. Dessert is a sweet choice of either rosella and lychee petit gateaux or textures of chocolate with Davidson plum, quandong, lemon myrtle and hot chocolate sauce. The menu is perfectly matched with premium Australian wines.

Later, while you sip a nightcap around a roaring campfire, an Indigenous storyteller shares tales of the past. It’s a glorious night to remember always.

 

A NIGHT AT FIELD OF LIGHT

Nothing quite prepares you for the magical sight of the Field of Light, an installation by British artist Bruce Munro with 50,000 spheres of light that shine in the dark. This special culinary event combines a visit to the illuminated fields with an amazing dinner.

Twilight canapés and chilled sparkling wine kick off an unforgettable evening as the red sunset streaks the sky and a didgeridoo player entertains. Feast on a three-course bush tucker inspired buffet – the dukkah seared kangaroo loin on quandong cous cous and native mint yoghurt is delightful.

A guide shares the story behind the Field of Light project followed by a 45 minute wander over the five hectare site. The evening finishes with a sweet treat, hot chocolate or port, and guests leave with indelible memories of this stunning artwork. The installation that’s attracted travellers world-wide will be showcased until 31 December 2020.