Shannen Findlay
Travel Trouble

“You are shooting yourself in the foot”: Tourists baffled over Uluru climb ban

While some tourists from all over the world are rushing to climb Uluru before it is banned on Saturday, some are questioning why local traditional Indigenous Australians called for a ban in the first place. 

Ayers Rock Resort has been jam packed for most of 2019 meaning nearly 5,000 people are trying to get a chance to climb Uluru before it is too late. 

Some Australian tourists have gone to extreme measures and camped illegally on private land around Uluru during school holidays, because the resort's campground has been full.

The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park board made the decision to impose an official ban from October 26 to pay respect and recognition to the rock’s cultural significance to the Anangu people. 

Melbourne tourist Stefan Gangur, 51 told AAP he opposes the ban because it is a vital source of income for the community. 

"What are people doing out here? It is part of the economy and how it runs out here" he said.

"You are shooting yourself in the foot, as long as everyone respects it, it is okay.

"It is no secret a percentage of the money from the national park passes goes back to the Aboriginal people."

The controversial ban of one of Australia’s most prolific and well known landmarks has prompted warnings that Uluru faces an uncertain future. 

A chain was built on the steep of the western face of Ayers Rock in 1964 and will be dismantled from October 28. 

The National Park’s general manager Mike Misso told AAP Uluru will become a better destination for tourists as more Anangu people will be working and benefitting from it. 

"The dominant reason for the UNESCO World Heritage listing was the living cultural landscape of nature and culture intertwined through traditions over thousands of years," he told AAP.

"The closure of the climb enhances the park's world heritage values. It's in conflict if you have got inappropriate visitor activity,”Grant Hunt, chief executive at the resort’s operators Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia said. 

"For every tourist destination, you have to reinvent yourself, if you just offer the same people go elsewhere.”

Mr Hunt says there is far more to Uluru than the climb, with more than 100 tours and experiences for tourists to experience - from riding mountain bikes, to Aboriginal cultural tours, helicopters and skydiving. 

“The travelling public have become much more culturally mature than they were 20 years ago,” Mr Hunt said.

 “I think most people expect this and in fact want it to happen.

“There’s a minority who still don’t of course and you always get that with any decision but certainly our research and feedback says about 80 per cent of people are supportive of the climb closing.”

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Uluru, uluru climb, International travel, travel, Australia travel