Huge lines of tourists climbing ‘dangerously close’ at Uluru

LONG congested lines of tourists walking up Uluru shoulder to shoulder have raised safety concerns, as thousands flock to climb the rock these holidays before it permanently closes in October

A photo of tourists climbing Uluru has left traditional landowners furious. Picture: ABC. Source: Supplied

LONG congested lines of tourists walking up Uluru shoulder to shoulder have raised safety concerns, as thousands flock to climb the rock these holidays before it permanently closes in October.

Tourists climbing up Uluru on Monday. Picture: Glenn Minett

Attendance figures at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park are at the highest in 16 years according to Parks Australia, with droves of tourists heading out there before the climb permanently closes in three months on October 26.

New South Wales tourist Glenn Minett, who climbed Uluru on Monday, said that rock was so crowded that people were walking dangerously close to each other and his friend was almost knocked down by a climber behind him.

There are also reports that the carpark at the base of Uluru has been overflowing, with cars parked either side of the road for about 1km leading up to the carpark.

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Over the recent June-July holiday period, some tourism operators in Central Australia are reporting a massive boom in the number of domestic visitors.

Elaine Li from Curtin Springs Station, located 100km east of the Uluru entrance, said they had been the busiest they had ever been with visitor numbers up 20 per cent from last year.

She said most of them were families on self-drive holidays in a camper or caravan.

“Ever since the school break started we’ve had a full house nearly every day,” she said.

“Every night in our campground there’s up to 150 campers and the phone’s been ringing off the hook with new bookings coming in.”

Management at The Ayers Rock Resort say they have been booked out for weeks, with the overflow campground also completely packed.

The situation is reportedly forcing tourists to camp illegally on the side of the road and on private pastoral land.

Chair of the Uluru Kata-Tjuta board and senior traditional owner Sammy Wilson reminded tourists to stay respectful.

“It is an extremely important place, not a theme park like Disneyland,” he said.