Janet CollinsClimbing Uluru
July 9th 2009 21:52
A long time ago, Julie Andrews became very famous for telling us all to Climb Every Mountain. Of course, she was really singing about the challenges we faced in life. That was long before Australia opened it's most remote areas to tourism.
Uluru, or what used to be known as Ayers Rock, has generated a lot of tourism dollars over the years, not by tourists just visiting the area but by offering people to climb it. For such an attraction, some 300,000 visitors a year have come to check out this really unique part of Australia. Of them, 100,000 per year, statistics say, have actually ventured the climb of Ularu.
So the announcement yesterday that the government is now about to close the track and ban people from climbing the Rock goes beyond comprehension.
Statistics do say that there have been somewhere in the vicinity of 35 deaths of tourists atempting the cllimb but this is very little given the number of visitors and would be climbers who have visited and attempted the climb over the years..
I have never attempted the climb but of the people I know who do they say it is amazing. They talk about the "spiritual feel" that they have not felt anywhere else. For many, it is nothing short of an amazing experience.
All of a sudden there seems to be some issue with stepping on Aboriginal spirituality and heritage. That makes no sense to me. We should be waving the flag for Aboriginals and their history and heritage. This adventure can only educate people more.
There is some consensus apparently and people have till September 4 to submit their views. However, it seems really a ill-thought out thing to do. After all, where in the whole of the world will people ever get this experience.
Should the Uluru climb stay open?
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Comment by Someone
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I believe you'll find it was called Uluru long before it was called Ayers Rock
I don't think people should be banned from climbing... I heard someone say it was a good step because climbing it degrades the site... but I mean, come on... it's a giant rock.
If it's a religious site, charge people for admission and use the money to help invest in protecting aboriginal peoples. Although, I suppose the government would have to run it... and don't get me started on the government's idiotic aboriginal policy, I'll be here all damn day
Comment by Janet Collins
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Yes, of course, it was really Uluru first! Being able to climb the rock is what takes a lot of tourists there in the first place. If they aren't able to climb it then they probably won't bother going there. It just doesn't make sense.
Thanks for dropping in.
Comment by Journeywoman
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Thanks for stopping by.
Comment by Anonymous
The land does belong to the Natives, but they lent the land to the Australian Government so they can do what they want with it.
People walking on it seems to be much less damaging then rain fall which will end up breaking it apart eventually anyways. And we're already being charged 25$AU just to enter the park so why shouldn't we be aloud up?
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Comment by Janet Collins
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I do believe we have to have some respect for Aboriginal beliefs but I also think they should encourage many people to visit their land. By prohibiting the rock climb will probably mean a lot less people will go there.
Thank you.
Comment by Janet Collins
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I am with you entirely. People learn a lot about Aboriginal culture by visiting "The Rock". A decision to stop the climb will probably just send people travelling elsewhere.
Thanks for dropping in.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Comment by Janet Collins
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I guess it is just something we all enjoy doing that is so different from the mundanity of everyday life. That is what attracts people to Australia's centre in the first place - it is so different.