TRAVEL FACTS

large abstract dot-paintings. This was the art style I’d expected to see, and while I loved the more traditional examples, it was also fascinating to encounter different recent interpretations of the genre. In that regard, Athena Nangala Granites’ ethereal sky paintings and

Dianne Robinson’s gorgeous wildflower pictures were wonderful new discoveries.

On my second visit I began to pay more attention to other kinds of art on display, including watercolour landscapes, ceramics, jewellery and wood carvings.

The Hermannsburg Potters’ decorated urns and vases take the landscape painting legacy of legendary Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira in an intriguing new direction. To see them displayed beneath the vibrant, Namatjira-influenced watercolours of Mervyn Rubuntja was to understand something of the living, evolving traditions of Australian Indigenous art.

The Gallery of Central Australia brilliantly complements other Indigenous experiences available at Ayers Rock Resort. You can learn about bush foods, take a free tour of the resort’s desert gardens, or join a dot-painting workshop run by local art centre Maruku Arts. Best of all is Tali Wiru, an exclusive smallgroup dining experience that takes place outdoors under a star-filled sky, accompanied by music and storytelling. Presented by a dedicated Indigenous hospitality team, the four-course table d’hote menu is crafted using native ingredients such as desert lime, lemon myrtle and green ants to reveal the distinct flavours of the Australian desert.

GoCA and Tali Wiru are both intense sensory experiences, one a feast for the eyes, the other for the tastebuds. But the appreciation of fine artistry – whether visual or culinary – offers more than that, because it encourages greater cultural understanding and connection. Each meal enjoyed, each artwork admired, helps build a bridge between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. That may be the most beautiful thing of all.

GETTING THERE

Qantas and Jetstar fly to Ayers Rock

Airport from major Australian cities. qantas.com

STAYING THERE

The recently refurbished Desert Gardens Hotel, which boasts Ayers Rock Resort’s only rooms with Uluru views, is located adjacent to GoCA. ayersrockresort.com.au

INFORMATION

GoCA is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with a free tour at 10.30am.