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Showing posts from August, 2018

Anywhere Alright at Toby's Uluru

Cross posted from Quadrant Online: Ayers Rock: a monolithic con job Toby Naninga: Anywhere else is alright! The current Board of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park claim that the climb is sacred and should not be accessed by visitors but in February 1975 a Traditional Anangu Elder and senior law man, Toby Naninga, provided a different view in an interview with ABC's current affairs show This Day Tonight . It seems aside from the Men's initiation cave, Warayuki, and the Ngaltawata pole, traditional owners at the time had no objection to tourists visiting any other area of ritual significance at Uluru. This includes the Climb! ABC have not permitted me to show the full video in public as  "the traditional custodians of Uluru have advised that this footage is not suitable for posting on social media".  When asked why the reply from ABC was: " There are several reasons for this recommendation – such as aerial views of Uluru and the specific sites included in th

A guide to climbing Ayers Rock

Climber's Handbook: a guide to climbing Ayers Rock The book is coming together nicely, just a few more words to put down and first draft will go to the Publishers soon. A mocked up cover below. A guide to climbing Ayers Rock Available from Connor Court soon! A Guide to Climbing Ayers Rock Since the handover of Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park to its traditional Anangu owners in 1985 “the Climb”, that great Australian outback institution, undertaken by about 7 million Australian and international tourists has been neglected, disparaged, maligned and ignored by the Board and Managers of the National Park. In October 2019 baring a change of mind of the Board, or successful legal action, the Climb will be officially banned for cultural and safety reasons that do not hold up to close scrutiny. Sadly, since the early 2000s those who have undertaken the climb, have been made to feel guilty about simply enjoying the natural world. This should not be the case. Offici