Uluru rises as a single sandstone monolith straight out of the flat central-Australian desert, its face streaked by near-vertical rock grain and known for its color shift at sunset. Orbit the rock, toggle the sunset glow, and see nearby Kata Tjuta.
Published figures: height about 348 m (1,142 ft) above the surrounding plain; total circumference about 9.4 km; base-to-summit elevation about 863 m above sea level; sandstone deposited around 550 million years ago; Kata Tjuta domes lie about 25 km to the west.
Drag to orbit and scroll or pinch to zoom. Everything renders on your device with WebGL.
Uluru 3D Explorer
This browser explorer shows Uluru as a single sandstone monolith rising abruptly from the flat central-Australian desert plain, its flanks marked by near-vertical rock grain and shallow ridge-and-groove weathering rather than the layered banding or pillar fields seen on the other landform explorers.
Uluru stands about 348 m above the surrounding plain (roughly 863 m above sea level at its summit) and measures about 9.4 km around its base. The sandstone was deposited roughly 550 million years ago and later tilted nearly vertical, which is why its grain runs steeply up the rock face instead of lying in flat horizontal layers. Uluru is famous for appearing to change color through the day, most strikingly glowing deep red-orange at sunset as low-angle light scatters off iron oxide in the rock surface. The domed rock formations of Kata Tjuta lie about 25 km to the west and are visible from Uluru's summit approach on a clear day.
- Toggle the sunset-glow color shift on the rock face
- Toggle the Kata Tjuta marker to the west
- Read height, circumference, and rock-age figures in the panel
- See a single rising monolith, not a bowl, pillar field, or gorge
- Drag to orbit, scroll or pinch to zoom
- Runs fully in the browser with the vendored three.js engine - no account, no upload
| Figure | Published value |
|---|---|
| Height above plain | about 348 m (1,142 ft) |
| Summit elevation | about 863 m above sea level |
| Base circumference | about 9.4 km |
| Rock | Arkose sandstone, deposited about 550 million years ago |
| Rock grain | Tilted to near-vertical, giving the steep-ridge face texture |
| Nearby formation | Kata Tjuta domes, about 25 km to the west |
For other rock formations, open the Grand Canyon 3D Explorer (a river-carved gorge with stacked layers) or the Bryce Canyon 3D Explorer (a horseshoe amphitheater packed with hoodoo spires).
Everything renders on your device with WebGL. The 3D engine loads once (about 0.7 MB) and is cached.
This is an educational approximation - rock grain texture, weathering, and sunset lighting are procedural teaching cues, not survey geology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Uluru?
About 348 m (1,142 ft) above the surrounding plain, with its summit about 863 m above sea level.
Why does Uluru change color?
Its surface holds iron oxide, which scatters low-angle sunlight most strongly at sunrise and sunset, producing a deep red-orange glow.
What is Kata Tjuta?
A group of large domed rock formations about 25 km west of Uluru, marked in this explorer as a nearby landmark.
What rock is Uluru made of?
Arkose sandstone, deposited about 550 million years ago and later tilted to near-vertical, which is why its grain runs steeply up the rock face.
How big is Uluru around its base?
About 9.4 km in circumference.
Where is Uluru?
Central Australia, within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory.
Is this a geological simulation?
No. It is an educational explorer using published survey figures - rock texture, weathering, and sunset lighting are procedural teaching cues.