Deep in the arid interior of Australia’s Red Centre, white tents erupt from the side of a rolling ridge, their edges splayed by wires and large black posts driven into the surrounding sand. Across the plain, above the tawny fingers of spinifex and the silver leaves of the desert poplar, the great mass of Uluru maintains its eternal vigil.
A member of the luxury Baillie Lodges family – a group that now includes New Zealand’s Huka Lodge – Longitude 131 offers its guests unique access to Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, and an unbeatable luxury experience in the very heart of Australia’s outback. Leaning into its sparse, desert surroundings, guests at Longitude 131 have only two options for accommodation: a luxury tent, or the Dune Pavilion. If the name wasn’t an indication, a stay in the luxury tent bears not even a passing resemblance to your traditional outback camping excursion, and indeed, but for its billowing roof, is not a tent at all. Floor-to-ceiling windows open onto a private balcony, allowing guests to gaze across the scrubland from the comfort of a custom-made daybed or armchair. Inside, vibrant works from local Indigenous artists appoint the walls while earthy tiles remain cool underfoot, offering passage to the spacious en suite bathroom.
The Dune Pavilion is the only residence of its kind at Longitude 131, designed for those desiring space and unlimited luxury. Similarly decorated with large scale local artworks and modern, custom furniture, the Pavilion upgrades the experience with an extensive veranda, separate living and sleeping areas including two bedrooms, deep bathtubs, and a private plunge pool that provides sweeping views out to both Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
While a stay here can, and likely will, run into the tens of thousands of dollars, the bill is at least inclusive of meals, along with whatever damage you can do to the open bar during your stay. Besides, dining at Longitude 131 is a step above your standard hotel menu. Executive chef Ryan Ward refreshes the menu daily, and looks towards Indigenous customs and techniques to give diners a culinary experience that is deeply rooted in the land that surrounds them, fusing premium Australian produce with seasonal local bush ingredients to bridge the ancient and the contemporary.
As part of their residence on Anangu land, Longitude 131 have developed significant, ongoing relationships with the Anangu people that seek to preserve and share their cultural heritage and support their way of life.
In the fierce Uluru heat, refreshments are a necessity, and Longitude is adequately equipped with two main ‘watering holes’. Take shelter in the swanky interior and comfortable armchairs of the Dune House bar, or retreat to the breezy pavilions of the Dune Top bar and settle in for sunset with an impeccable selection of Australian wines, craft beers and premium spirits, including Baillies 9, a gin distilled exclusively for the Baillie Lodges.
Even the most relaxed and uninspired visitor cannot lounge forever though. Being situated in the Uluru Kata Tjuta national park, the activities at Longitude 131 naturally tend towards the outdoors and draw on the area’s deep cultural history, with several signature and bespoke experiences facilitating exploration and learning of the land. Spectacular desert sunrises and sunsets bookend the day and are the impetus for guided walking tours in the shade of Uluru’s immense flanks, or the towering walls and domes of the Walpa Gorge and Kata Tjuta, whose immovable forms serve as the stage for local Indigenous stories and legends.
As part of their residence on Anangu land, Longitude 131 have developed significant, ongoing relationships with the Anangu people that seek to preserve and share their cultural heritage and support their way of life. Artworks and objects throughout the lodge are purchased from Ernabella Arts, a rural South Australian community and the oldest continually running indigenous art centre in the country. Ernabella artists regularly take up creative residencies at Longitude 131, and guests are able to visit the community first-hand – albeit at a substantial cost of $3,400 – to see the works being created and make purchases for themselves.
For foreigners, the beauty of Australia’s outback has long been overshadowed by the fear engendered by its desolate vastness and inhospitable landscapes. Although exceptionally expensive and consequently exclusive, Longitude 131 seeks to shift this view of the Red Centre and explore the natural wealth and cultural richness of this misunderstood area by offering more than just a bed under the stars. It is not the kind of holiday you’ll find at Flight Centre, but the people at Longitude 131 are showing that it is possible to provide a world-class luxury experience that respects its environment, acknowledges its traditional landowners, and works to preserve these magical landscapes in perpetuity as well as style.
