Climbing Uluru: a step too far

Climbing Uluru: a step too far

Climbing Uluru, Australia's most famous landmark, will be completely banned from 2019. Isn't the ban long overdue?

In November 2017, the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Board voted unanimously to ban climbing Uluru from October 26, 2019, the 34th anniversary of Uluru's return to Aboriginal people.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site was returned to its traditional owners in 1985, nine years after the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act was passed in 1976, finally recognizing the laws and land rights of Aboriginal people in Australia.

As it stands, climbing Uluru is permitted, although signs at the trailhead urge visitors not to do so out of respect for the land's traditional custodians, the Anangu Aborigines.

“We, the traditional Anangu owners, have this to say,” the sign reads. "Uluru is sacred in our culture, a place of great knowledge. According to our traditional law, climbing is not allowed. This is our home... Please do not climb."

alt="Climbing Uluru Australia Sign">Atlas & BootsSigns at the trailhead strongly advise visitors not to climb Uluru

Over 250,000 people visit Uluru each year and 16% of these visitors chose to climb the monolith between 2011 and 2015 when numbers fell below 20% and other visitor activities were successfully established.

The board cited conservation and safety concerns as reasons for banning the climb, but the decision was motivated largely by cultural sensitivity. Uluru has deep spiritual and cultural significance for the Anangu people, and to climb it is to violate their traditional laws.

Weather and safety concerns have also resulted in the route often being closed due to high winds or extreme heat. Since the 1950s, at least 35 people have died on the hike and many more have been rescued.

Additionally, damage caused by tourists climbing the rock is a growing problem. Plastic water bottles are dropped and climbers needing to relieve themselves pollute waterholes used by wildlife. In addition, the traces of mountaineering boots in the rock are visible for kilometers.

“I can’t stop you from climbing Uluru,” said Kurt, our guide from the Uluru Rock Tour, “but I strongly advise all of you not to.”

Needless to say, neither Kia nor I climbed Uluru. Neither did any of our group of 13 guests. That's not to say I couldn't see the appeal. As a mountaineer (particularly a mountaineer who engages in peak bagging), I understand why tourists would want the bragging rights of reaching the summit of Uluru at 863 m (2,831 ft). We both also noticed that the view from the top must be special indeed.

alt=“Climbing Uluru “>Atlas & BootsOnly 16% of visitors between 2011 and 2015 climbed Uluru

Kurt could see the appeal, too, but he reminded us that since climbing the pyramids was banned in Egypt for conservation reasons, tourists there rarely flouted the rules.

"But more importantly," he continued, "Uluru is a sacred site for the Anangu people. Think of it like a cathedral for Christians or a mosque for Muslims. Would you climb the Blue Mosque in Istanbul or Notre Dame in Paris?"

Of course he was absolutely right. Wherever we travel, we pay attention to local etiquette. We wouldn't wear shoes in a mosque in Turkey, we wouldn't turn our backs on a Buddha in Sri Lanka, and we wouldn't dream of removing artifacts from Easter Island (yes, someone actually did that).

If I travel to another country and there is a sacred site, an area with restricted access, I do not enter or climb it, I respect it. The same applies here to Anangu. We welcome tourists here. We are not stopping tourism, just this activity.” – Sammy Wilson, traditional owner and chief executive of Uluru

Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles claimed climbing Uluru should not be banned because Uluru is for all Australians. To me this argument seems weak considering Uluru has no religious or cultural significance for Piranpa (white people).

The argument goes from weak to ridiculous when you acknowledge that the Anangu have been in the area for at least 22,000 years before Captain Cook even set foot in Australia in 1770.

It's a sad case that climbing Uluru has been discussed for so long. It is only because Aboriginal Australians have been marginalized for so long in Australia's recent history that this is still discussed at all. The fact that there are still divided opinions about climbing Uluru shows how far integration efforts still have to go.

Just as they are banned from climbing mosques and cathedrals, perhaps tourists shouldn't have been allowed to climb Uluru in the first place. The ban is long overdue and the sooner it comes into force, the better.

Climbing Uluru really should be a thing of the past.

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