The pilot was on an intermediate stop on return to Alice Springs from Yulara. At about 90 knots on the takeoff roll just before rotation, the pilot heard a metallic thump and the nose of the aircraft dropped onto the ground. The aircraft slid to a stop as the pilot completed his shutdown checks. An inspection of the strip by the pilot after the accident revealed that the nosewheel had apparently struck a partially submerged rock uncovered by recent raking of the strip surface. The nosewheel tyre was reportedly blown and the nosegear link apparently failed in overload allowing the noseleg to collapse.