Right to Climb

The Ban on Climbing Ayers Rock is Immoral and Illegal Quadrant Magazine have placed my recent article online outlining reasons the ban on climbing Ayers Rock is immoral and illegal. Claims that Aborigines never ascend the monolith are false and the highly sacred nature of the route a recent invention. The cultural-heritage significance of the climb to both Anangu and millions of non-Aboriginal visitors is something that should be celebrated and maintained, not discouraged and condemned . Read the Article at Quadrant. “In the realm of ideas there has been no better publication in Australia over the last fifty years than Quadrant magazine.” — Former Prime Minister John Howard

Climbing legends Series of posts celebrating climbers of Ayers Rock. #10 Lauri Sheard: An Australian youth among desert Aborigines Lauri E Sheard 1922-1942 Lauri Sheard was the son of Mountford's friend Harold Sheard, and was aged 18 when he accompanied Mountford on this Expedition in 1940. During the trip Lauri Sheard recorded his experiences in a diary, later published as An Australian youth among desert Aborigines , and took almost 1000 photographs of his own. Lauri's account of his climb from his diary reprinted below: Wednesday August 7, 1940 We packed our gear and lunch on the camels and set off once around the eastern end of the rock.  Proceeding to the climbing slope, this time the position reversed, I went up and Mountford stayed below taking photographs, , using the colour cine camera.  The climb was not terrifically steep, but it was jolly hard work, as for a part of the way we went on hands and knees, but once over the steeper pitches and wit...

Parks Australia recently advertised for a new Director to replace Sally Barnes. In one of the infinite possible alternate universes (if they exist) I was awarded the job, but in this one it's going to someone else. In that alternate reality the climb has been secured for future generations for all time. In this reality, like Schrodinger's cat, the climb remains in a state of limbo until B-Day 26 October 2019. Dear Marc Thank you for expressing interest in the role of Director of National Parks. We have now worked with our client to determine the shortlist of candidates for interview for this role, and unfortunately, on this occasion, there were other candidates who had experience which was a closer fit for the requirements of the role.  We will therefore not be progressing your application. I would like to thank you for your application and for your interest – we do appreciate that preparing an application takes considerable time and thought. The strength of m...

Parks Australia have shared a link to their weather station at the base of climb. This is a good indicator of whether or not to expect a closed sign to greet you when you rock up to climb the Rock. Link is  http://www.weatherlink.com/user/uktnpboc

Q.  Did the Aboriginal people ever talk to you about either regulating the use of, or even closing the climb? A. NO. In 1997 Derek Roff, former Head Ranger of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park from 1968 to 1985, recorded a detailed (7.5 hr)  interview with the Northern Territory Archives Oral History Unit. Topics covered Derek's time as a policeman in Kenya, emigration to Australia in the mid 1960s, and his experience and insights as Chief Ranger of the Park. The interview provides a fascinating insight into the development of the Park from 1968 through to the 1985 handover and beyond. Roff explodes many myths including the "We never climb" message and problems with photography. Derek was asked a number of questions about Aboriginal attitudes to the climb while he served as head Ranger for 17 years. His response indicates that the climb held no concerns to senior Aboriginal Elders, leaving one wondering what caused the "unchanging" Tjukurpa to alter so sign...

Climbing Tales  This series celebrates Uluru climbing experiences posted online. #6  Minga Comedian Base of the Climb A wonderful Climbing Tale from Fred Reiss , Californian stand up comedian. Fred Climbed in 2015 following treatment for cancer. This is another inspiring story that the ignoramuses that sit on the Park Board and Parks Australia, happy to keep them in their cultural dungeon, want to prevent.  A brief extract below, for the full story follow the links to Fred's Blog. Why I believe you should climb Uluru and why I climbed it! It was intimidating to be a weathered and coarse-grained , testicle-stripped 59-year old man standing within the end and beginning of my dream track at the foot of The Climb. Dreamtime is where you develop a worldly knowledge accumulated through ancestors—well, there’s no hare wallaby man in my family’s ancestral history. But, now that I think of it, my ex-brother-in-law might have been one.  And songline is dream...