Mt Conner is located on the Curtin Springs Station, about 20 kilometres off the Lasseter Highway.

The mountain is 350 metres high from its base, and it is characterised by its flat top. The mountain was first discovered in 1873 by William Gosse, an explorer of the day, and he named the monolith after a Parliamentarian in South Australia.

Tourists often mistake Mt Conner for Ayers Rock (Uluru), but the differences in their form, shape and size clearly identify them as totally separate structures. Mt Conner is a quartzite formation, and at its extreme points is nearly 3.5 kilometres in length and 1 kilometres wide.

The flora and fauna around the mountain are typical of this part of the Territory - the native pines, mulga and spinifex are home to the varieties of reptiles, dingoes and wild birds. Camels can also be found in the area.

With time, the face of Mt Conner has changed. Massive rocks still lie at its base, but the sheer walls and rockfaces have been transformed in some places to less dramatic surfaces, with rock shelters being created by wind and water erosion. Marine fossils have been found in many places around the mountain, and these discoveries have led scientists to believe that at some point in time, millions of years ago, Mt Conner, Ayers Rock (Uluru) and the Olgas (Kata Tjuta) was all part of an inland ocean.

The ancient aborigines knew Mt Conner by the name of 'Artula'. Legend says that Artula was originally home to the 'Ninya', or Ice Men, who were capable of causing frosts in the area. There are two quartzite masses on Mt Conner, not far from the top, and the belief is that these are in fact the remains of Ninya who generated too much frost, and subsequently froze themselves to death !

Visits to Mt Conner are now restricted to group tours operated by Uluru Experience. Phone (008) 803 174 for more information.

0 of a possible 0 points from 0 votes