Thursday, February 10, 2011

Record rainfall in red centre drenches region as Yasi rolls on

AUSTRALIA'S red centre has turned to mud, with widespread rains smashing records and Uluru transformed into a giant outback water feature.
The rainfall on Uluru was far from record-breaking, but at Yulara, the closest weather station, 6mm was recorded between 2.05pm and midnight on Sunday, creating a spectacular display.
As the remnants of Cyclone Yasi moved west, small outback towns were drenched over the weekend, with 174mm of rain falling in the 24 hours since 9am on Sunday in the South Australian community of Ernabella, about 30km south of the Northern Territory border. Vince Rowlands, a senior forecaster for the Bureau of Meteorology, said the Ernabella station had only been collecting data for a short time, so experts were not sure if there was enough evidence to say there was record-breaking rainfall.
"We're not quite sure of the record status on that one, because there's a fairly short length of records at Ernabella," Mr Rowlands said yesterday. "We'll know in the next day or two about whether we'll call that a record."

At William Creek, near Lake Eyre, outback pilot Trevor Wright said water coming down from the town could create an inland sea.
"I think this will continue for a few days, given that all of that water up near Ernabella is coming down the creek system," Mr Wright said.
Weather bureau climatologist Darren Ray said the rainfall in the South Australian towns of Yongala, where 128mm fell from 9am Friday to 9am Saturday, and Hallett, which recorded 98mm over the same period, were the highest on record.
"There have been a number of stations that have had the highest daily rainfall records broken," Mr Ray said.
"We've also got about a dozen stations, mostly through South Australia and one in the Northern Territory, that have had the record highest daily February rainfall totals as well."
Mr Rowlands said some rainfall records had also been broken last month.
"It is quite unusual to see so many records being broken in one summer," he said.
Although Yasi is weakening, widespread rain is still falling on many towns.
In the South Australian town of Tarcoola, about 300km south of Coober Pedy, 56mm fell between 9am and 4.30pm yesterday. The Northern Territory town of Douglas River recorded 51.6mm in the same time.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

New Forum Wants your Messages and Views

The website www.uluru-ayersrock.com is looking for anybody with views, opinions, accommodation, tips or anything else of interest regarding Uluru-Ayers Rock to visit the Forum and post their information.


This New Forum enabled you to be amongst the first to put your view points and interest out there to others who want top visit the region


The forum page can be found here 


All comments of interest to others are welcome..

Uluru Campaign for more UK and USA Visitors

The Northern Territory government has launched a global campaign designed to promote the Australian region to British and American travellers.
In partnership with Yahoo and Qantas, the regional authority will be running a series of promotions throughout February to realise the full potential of the UK and US markets.
Acting tourism minister Gerry McCarthy revealed that Brits and Americans account for nearly 30 per cent of all international holiday visitors to the Northern Territory.
He said that $811,000 (£506,740) is being invested in the new promotion to capitalise on the "huge buzz" generated by Oprah Winfrey's recent visit to Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock.
"This campaign follows on from our recent $500,000 investment towards securing international exposure for the Territory via the Oprah Winfrey Show and we need [to] strike while the iron's hot," added Mr McCarthy.
"The aim of this new campaign is to convert those interested in travelling to the Territory into confirmed bookings."
Yahoo.com will host a microsite tailored to each market, which will include destination guides and blogs, as well as short films highlighting attractions and locations such as Uluru, Alice Springs and the Red Centre.
Web users will also be able to follow directions to the Qantas website for access to some special flight fares.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Yasi's wake brings rain to the outback

The Bureau of Meteorology has downgraded its warning of damaging wind gusts for the Alice Springs district, but there is still a flash flooding warning in place for the eastern and southern Alice Springs district.
Meteorologist Mark Kersmakers says the low pressure system is moving slowly towards Uluru and could bring substantial rain to the area sometime tomorrow.
"Even though it is continuing to slowly weaken as it tracks further across the land it should still hold together somewhat during today and tomorrow," he said.
"It could still be a significant system as it moves across that part of the Alice Springs district during tomorrow."
The system is sitting about 200 kilometres south-east of Alice Springs moving slowly in a westerly direction towards Uluru.
NT Emergency Services is expecting the Todd River to flow but does not expect it to break its banks.
The prediction comes as good news for Alice Springs businesses who found many of their strategically placed sandbags had been emptied onto footpaths by vandals overnight.
David Smith, a resident of the remote central Australian community of Ampilatwatja, east of Ti Tree, says the town has had heavy rain overnight.
Some areas of the Barkly region have also received falls of more than 70 millimetres and more rain is expected today and tomorrow.
Mr Smith says if the rain continues there is a good chance the community may be cut off.
"There was ground water on my trip back yesterday. Quite slippery on some parts of the road but I would say that as the water continues the roads will become impassable," he said.
Police say Tennant Creek received 36 millimetres over the past 24 hours and while the Stuart Highway remains open there is water on the road in some places.
They are asking drivers to take care.