Around 500 million years ago, the whole area became covered in sea. Sand and mud fell to the bottom and covered the seabed, including these fans. The weight of the new seabed turned the fans into rock. The sandy fan became sandstone (Uluru) while the rocky fan became conglomerate rock (Kata Tjuta).

What rock is Ayers Rock made from?

Uluru rock is composed of arkose, a coarse grained sandstone rich in the mineral feldspar. The sandy sediment, which hardened to form this arkose, was eroded from high mountains composed largely of granite.

Is Ayers Rock man made or natural?

Uluru is the most iconic natural landform in Australia — and its formation is an equally special story of creation, destruction and reinvention. The origins of Uluru (and Kata Tjuta) date back about 500 million years, to around the same time the Australian continent was formed.