The glowing bulbs that make up the Field of Light Uluru will now remain at the famous Australian site indefinitely, giving travellers plenty of time to take in the immersive art installation.
The award-winning exhibition was created by artist Bruce Munro and opened on 1 April, 2016 at Ayers Rock Resort. It surrounds the sacred site of Uluru, bringing more than 50,000 stems topped with illuminated glass spheres to an area that spans an area the size of more than nine football fields. The work of art is entirely illuminated by solar power and the spheres are connected with an illuminated optical fibre which lights up as darkness falls. Also entitled 'Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku' or 'looking at lots of beautiful lights' in local Pitjantjatjara, it will now stay at the site indefinitely after being given previous extensions to stay.
The installation recently underwent a $1million refurbishment, overseen by Munro. Each individual stem of light and all the fibre optic cabling was replaced to make sure that the lights remains bright into the future. “I am truly honoured that the Field of Light will remain at Uluru," said Munro in a statement. "The ancient landscape of the Red Centre continues to inspire my thoughts, feelings and ideas that shape my life and work".
Uluru, the 3.6-kilometre long rock in the Australian outback, will no longer be open to tourists who want to climb starting on 26 October 2019. The decision was announced by Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park managers and the site’s traditional owners, the Anangu, who have always asked that people do not climb the sacred rock.
This article was originally publish on 8 January, 2018 and was updated on 30 September, 2019.