Tomorrow is a momentous occasion for Australia with the climb to the top of Uluru to be permanently closed. Anyone who disrespects the new laws will cop a $10,000 fine.
The long-awaited closure of the climb fulfils the wishes of the park’s traditional owners, the Anangu people. For many years they have urged visitors not to climb the ancient monolith which is a sacred part of their culture.
The official closure date of October 26 is significant to the park’s traditional owners, as it was on this date in 1985 that the park was officially handed back to them.
Three and a half decades later, the spiritual significance of the rock has finally been fully recognised.
The unanimous decision to close the climb was made by the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Board of Management in November 2017.
When the closure was first announced back in 2017, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Chairman and senior traditional owner Sammy Wilson made an impassioned speech explaining the significance of the rock.
“It is an extremely important place, not a playground or theme park like Disneyland. If I travel to another country and there is a sacred site, an area of restricted access, I don’t enter or climb it, I respect it. It is the same here for Anangu. We welcome tourists here. We are not stopping tourism, just this activity.”
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Chairman and senior traditional owner Sammy Wilson
Image: Uluru, Parks Australia
As the deadline for the ban loomed, there was a sharp spike in the number of people arriving to climb the rock.
According to the ABC, the park saw an average of nearly 10,000 extra visitors a month in the six months leading up to Saturday’s closure. In July alone, 57,000 visitors came to the park, up from 42,000 the year before.
Aside from the total lack of spiritual or religious respect from visitors, recent reports from Uluru have cited massive overcrowding and vast amounts of rubbish left behind by the extra influx of visitors.
The chain handhold for climbers on Uluru be dismantled but the memorial plaques on Uluru itself to remember the climbers who died there will stay, out of respect for the families of the deceased.
Moving forward there are so many ways to enjoy and respect this sacred landmark without climbing it. Visitors can get involved in a whole host of experiences from sunrise to sunset and Indigenous-focused activities allowing for a deeper connection with the ancient culture and landscape.
Here are some wonderful ideas on how to soak up the magic of the Red Centre.
Tomorrow will be a truly joyous occasion for the Anangu people and the many Australians who stand in solidarity with them.
