In February 1998, Billboards Christie Eliezer interviewed Gudinski; he recalled that signing Ayers Rock had "allowed the band to tour the US and record their second album there." He explained that they "were a fantastic jazz-fusion band, a real muso's band, but ultimately they didn't have that something unique to cross over." In his 1999 encyclopaedia Dreams, Fantasies, and Nightmares From Far Away Lands, American author Vernon Joynson called Big Red Rock "an excellent example of jazz rock fusion Australian style. The musicianship is of high quality although it tends to become a little over-indulgent in places". According to Joynson the album had "radio friendly" material and three tracks "filled with fine virtuoso guitar and saxophone", but despite being "quite a popular live act, [Ayers Rock's] recordings were hampered by a dilemma over whether to opt for a more serious pursuit of expanding the horizons or for a commercial sound".
