Red Roos at the Olgas
Julie Haddrick 2007
Hand
dyed, painted & printed fabric: machine pieced and quilted
Stained glass applique technique
The Kata Tjuta, also known as Mount Olga (or colloquially as The Olgas),
are a group of 28 large domed rock formations with another 33 smaller
domes located about 32 km west of Uluru, in the southern part of the Northern
Territory, central Australia, are a unique, colourful and popular tourist
destination in Australia’s red centre.
In the foreground area are a pair of Red Kangaroos; Australia’s largest
mammal. There are over 60 different species of kangaroo and their close
relatives. All kangaroos belong to the super-family Macropodidae (or macropods,
meaning 'great-footed'). The male is taller and with short, red-brown
fur, fading to pale, contrasts with the smaller female; [a blue-grey with
a brown tinge] mammal, who is illustrated here carrying a “Joey”, in her
pouch. The kangaroos’ heavy and very strong tail is used both to help
with balance and for jumping. A kangaroo's legs work much like a rubber
band. The male Red Kangaroo can leap in full force approximately 30 feet
(9 meters) in one leap. Inhabiting most of the dry inland of the central
part of Australia in small groups called mobs, the Red Kangaroo eats grasses
and vegetation, preferring open plains where trees and bushes are scarce.
The Red Kangaroo is nocturnal and crepuscular, and largely spends the
daylight hours sleeping or otherwise relaxing. Kangaroos are native to
the Australian continent and as such are an easily recognised Aussie character,
popular with both locals and tourists alike.