Now it's Australia's turn to burn

ULURU - The Olympic flame began its journey through the nation that will host this year's Games in one of its most isolated but famous areas.

After crossing the Tasman from New Zealand, the flame was flown to the Yulara in Australia's outback to start its 100-day journey around the country.

Yulara's claim to fame is the massive 600-million-year-old red bulk of Uluru - also known as Ayers Rock - which was the starting point for the torch relay.

Hundred of Australians, famous and unknown, will carry the flame on an odyssey which will end at the Games opening ceremony in Stadium Australia, Sydney, on September 15.

The first torchbearer yesterday was Nova Peris-Kneebone, the first Aboriginal woman to win Olympic gold. She was a member of Australia's winning women's hockey team at Atlanta in 1996, and will sprint for Australia this year.

Her relay start was delayed when, in a repeat of its arrival in New Zealand, the flame went out.

The spark from the lantern housing the "mother flame" was snuffed out by a bitterly cold swirling wind, and officials had to take the relay torch to a more sheltered spot to ignite it.

Moments later the flame faltered again and had to be replenished as Peris-Kneebone began her barefoot journey through the red dust of the Uluru Kata Tijuta National Park with her daughter Jessica running beside her.

Another famous torch-bearer at Uluru was former Wimbledon tennis champion Evonne Goolagong-Cawley.

But it was the not-so-famous torch-bearers who found themselves in the spotlight.

Alice Springs resident Paul Hardwicke was chosen to carry the flame because of his work for the community.

He appeared slightly bemused as he was besieged by onlookers wanting to touch the torch he had carried along a 600m stretch of dusty road.

From Uluru, the flame was flown to Alice Springs for the next stage of its journey.

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