And today, it comes to a close.
The Traditional Owners have shut the big rock from climbing as at the end of today ...
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Hundreds fail to climb Ayers Rock (Uluru) as strong winds lash the Red Centre.
As extraordinary scenes play out at Uluru, mother nature has stepped in and caused havoc - forcing rangers to close the climb early.
There are insane queues up Uluru the day before the ban comes into effect. Source:The Australian
While the climb is expected to be permanently close at 4:00pm this afternoon, authorities will inspect the conditions at 10am, 12pm and 2pm - meaning visitors could still be able to reach the top before the ban is enforced.
The controversial ban is the result of a unanimous vote by the board of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in 2017.
Uluru is considered to be a place of spiritual significance by its indigenous custodians, the Anangu people, who have pleaded with tourists not to climb it for many years.
https://www.news.com.au/travel/trave...8685857bfc35d3
My thoughts are ...
Well, if it means so much to the Aboriginal people, deeply set within their spiritual heart, they won't be too disappointed when the tourist numbers drift off and the Aboriginal's income lowers as people decline to travel the enormous journey to visit a lump of rock in the middle of the desert.
For those who don't know, the only town of any size in the middle of Australia is Alice springs.
Ayers Rock/Uluru is
5 h 38 min (467.8 km) via National Highway 87 and State Route 4 from Alice Springs
Time will tell if the Tourists still 'flock to the Rock'