Last week saw Oprah on a whirlwind tour of Hamilton Island to Uluru, Melbourne, and then to Sydney. Here’s a peek at what her Melbourne and Uluru itinerary had on offer.
Arriving early in the early afternoon at Ayers Rock Airport, Oprah got a bird’s eye view as she boarded a helicopter for an aerial tour of the majestic monolith, Uluru, with Northern Territory Tourism Minister Mallindirri McCarthy.
Oprah suprised 15 of her Ultimate Viewers by experiencing the National Park with them
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When Oprah landed she surprised 15 of her Ultimate Viewers who had travelled earlier in the day from Darwin and Alice Springs and together they experienced the Kuniya Walk at Uluru National Park and learned about the indigenous people’s stories.
Oprah said: “Being here is a way to pay my respects to the Aboriginal people while showing respect for the land, their culture and all this rock means to them, the continent and the world,” she said, stopping to chat with the local media.
While in Uluru, Winfrey met with local woimen and children
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While at Uluru, Winfrey also met with Shirley McPherson, Chairwoman of the Indigenous Land Council, and Kathy Luckey, a traditional owner representing the Anangu people who have recently acquired ownership of the Uluru resort and surrounding areas.
Following their visit to Uluru, the spiritual centre of Australia, the Ultimate Viewers joined Oprah for a Sounds of Silence Dinner and traditional dance performance where she met local Aboriginal women and their children.
Oprah Winfrey arrived in Melbourne from Uluru. After arriving, Oprah met the Prime Minister Julia Gillard and they were filmed by ‘Oprah’ show cameras as they walked along the banks of the Yarra River.
Arriving in Melbourne Winfrey met with Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu and Prime Minister Gillard
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Oprah then made her only official public appearance in Australia at a free two-hour public event hosted by ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ in Federation Square where she appeared on stage with Prime Minister Gillard and Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people.
“Hello Melbourne! I’ve never had a welcome like this in my life,” Oprah said, adding that that when deciding where to bring her audience for the final season of her show, she chose Australia – where she had always wanted to visit – because this was the place outside the US that had supported her the most. She also made a commitment to return to Australia.
In her only Australian public event, Oprah adressed a crowd of 10,000 at Federation Square
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The event featured performances by Australian artists Jessica Mauboy and Human Nature, with some of Oprah’s Ultimate Viewers dancing on stage with Human Nature. In an additional musical moment, Oprah led the crowd in an impromptu mini-sing-along of “Hey Jude”. The event was hosted by Network TEN’s Carrie Bickmore and was supported by Tourism Victoria and the Victorian Government.
