'The most wonderful natural feature I have ever seen.' With these words the explorer William Gosse expressed the awe he and many others have felt at the natural phenomenon of Uluru. The first white person to reach the central Australian monolith, he gave it the name 'Ayers Rock'. But who was Henry Ayers, the man whose name is forever associated with Australia's most recognisable natural icon? And why should he still be remembered today? Although the rock now carries its ancient indigenous name, Uluru, the name of Ayers is still linked with the the Rock's 'discovery' in 1873. Indeed, 'Ayers Rock' is one of the most famous natural wonders on earth and, despite its remote location, attracts over 400,000 visitors each year. This book, the first biography of Henry Ayers, focuses attention on the complex character behind the name and examines all aspects of his life - from his humble origins in the naval city of Portsmouth in southern England, his migration to Australia and his career as a miner, businessman and eventually as Premier of South Australia - a post to which he was elected seven times.
It provides a fascinating insight into Australian history through the life of a man who was consistently in the upper echelons of influence and authority in colonial society and whose legacy lives through his association with the most famous and recognisable natural feature of his adopted country.

Jason Shute is an acknowledged expert on immigrant communities in South Australia and on Henry Ayers. He is a graduate of London's Royal College of Music, where he won a number of prizes and carried out further studies in opera. He has lived with his family in South Australia for nearly two decades where he continues to work as a composer and conductor.