Making the Red Centre Greener

Responsible tourism is at the heart of all we do at Ayers Rock Resort. As an organisation, we work hard to care for Country and community, which means treading lightly wherever possible.

Operating a large-scale resort that is located closer to the nearest space station than the nearest set of traffic lights, we’ve had to get creative when it comes to recycling, reusing materials and sourcing eco-friendly options. Here are just a few of the activities and initiatives Ayers Rock Resort has adopted recently to keep the Red Centre as green as possible.

New Recycling Facilities

We’ve commenced construction of a drive-thru recycling centre in the resort township of Yulara, thanks to a grant from the Northern Territory Government. New infrastructure means we can process a higher volume of plastic bottles, aluminium cans, glass and cardboard; diverting 300 tonnes of waste from landfill each year.

Repurposing materials is another way we’re keeping the Red Centre clean and green. A new glass pulveriser repurposes glass waste for a variety of uses, including making concrete and roadfill and as a mulch-like material to retain moisture in soil. This project will also create two new jobs for local community members.

Powered By The Sun

Where better than the desert to take advantage of the sun’s power? The Tjintu Solar Field provides up to 30% of the resort’s average energy needs, the equivalent energy usage of around 150 Aussie households.

Tjintu (“sun” in local Pitjantjatjara language) is a photovoltaic system, spread over five separate locations, including Ayers Rock Airport and the rooftop at Sails in the Desert hotel. This is a long-term source of energy that decreases carbon emissions, reduces pollution and stabilises future costs of running the Resort.

Learn more about how the Tjintu Solar Field works.

Wildlife Conservation

Ayers Rock Resort supports the work of the Anangu Traditional Owners to protect native wildlife and educate guests and staff alike about the importance of wildlife conservation. We’ve made efforts to protect our threatened Tjakura (great desert skink) population, especially when building new infrastructure.

We are also involved in two wildlife monitoring programs, one of which is our annual threatened species monitoring, started by Voyages in 2001 and is an award-winning endeavour that’s been instrumental in preserving species at risk of endangerment and extinction. During the latest annual threatened species monitoring (2022) we found more records of brush-tailed mulgara than in any other year of the 22-year trapping program due to good rainfall, cat control and fire management.

Ayers Rock Resort also supports Mulyamiji March, a national monitoring event focussed on Tjakura. We supported Traditional Owners, Indigenous rangers, and Scientists to find burrows and collect scientific data as part of a new Indigenous-led National Recovery Plan for Tjakura. The initiative is supported by the Australian Government’s partnership with the Indigenous Desert Alliance and will track the population of the Tjakura across central Australia over 10 years. The first monitoring event was in March 2023, where we found 68 burrows across six sites at Ayers Rock Resort.

For guests who are interested in exploring our local landscape, Ayers Rock Resort offers a host of free, immersive experiences – try a Guided Garden Walk to discover local flora and fauna, or a Capturing the Cosmos viewing to learn more about Australia’s sparkling night skies.