Right to Climb

Climbing Ayers Rock after the ban? Minimum fine likely to be $630 - see below Update :  Simon Day was found guilty in absence on two charges – walking or riding on a Commonwealth reserve and entering a restricted or prohibited area – in Alice Springs Local Court. The 44-year-old was also fined $2,500. While there remains a very remote possibility someone in Parks Australia or some mug sitting on the Park board or in the Minister's chair will see common sense and ditch plans to ban the World's most iconic hill climb, the most likely outcome is that the immoral ban will go ahead as planned on 26 October this year. Without bags of money legal action to prevent the ban is unlikely to proceed. Also, despite being protected by World Heritage provisions and conditions in the lease agreement (17-2), the Philistines that manage the Park will also likely destroy the climbing infrastructure including the life-saving chain, 50-year-old summit monument, memorial plaques and remove th

Climbing Tales This series celebrates Uluru climbing experiences posted online. #1 1 Jeff Carter Jeff Carter (5 August 1928 – 25 October 2010) has taken some remarkable photographs of Ayers Rock. The National Library includes many of his photographs in its catalogue including this wonderful snapshot of the old summit cairn in 1970. A photo opportunity at the top of Uluru, Northern Territory, ca.1970 by Jeff Carter We came across a wonderful article by Jeff in the April 1972 issue of Walkabout that is available for viewing via the National Library .     4WD Swagman Part 2: Warned off by an angry Bushman The second part of the article recounts experiences climbing our wonderful Rock, the article ends:  "No one, no one (unless his name is Hillary) climbs and descends Ayers Rock without putting it close to the top of his list of unforgettable experiences. And it isn't the view from the top they remember, but the experience of climbing up and coming down

This series of posts showcase the contents of the Last Logbook on Ayers Rock. Part 8: Cover and pages 131-150. Last July when I climbed the Rock with my daughters I left a blank 192 exercise book in a container at the summit memorial. The front cover looked like this: The text on the cover reads: Signing the summit logbook has been an important cultural institution at Ayers Rock since the 1890s. Sadly, since the late 1980s Park Management have denied Australians and International visitors the opportunity to record their achievement. The first climbers to leave a note marking their achievement were Allan Breadon and W Oliver on March 4, 1897: “We added a few stones to the pile and left two wax vesta boxes (tins) with names and date thereon.” Glass coffee jars held the names of climbers between 1932 and the 1950s. In September 1950 the jars held the names of about 70 climbers. Formal log books, termed the “Achievers’ book”, replaced the assorted collection of jars and tins lodge

My recent article in Quadrant Magazine has been posted to the Quadrant website and is now availble for everyone. In a few months time one of the most exhilarating, awe-inspiring experiences of the natural world, the climb up Ayers Rock, will be banned. With the ban, Australia will become the only nation to outlaw awe and wonder. The park board ignores the actions and words of past traditional owners who climbed the Rock and supported visitors climbing. What sort of malicious organisation would ban access to a place that has generated so much joy? Read the rest at Quadrant!

I recall sometimes listening to Macca on the ABC on Sunday mornings. I never thought I'd get the chance to go on his show. The link below to our discussion this morning (June 2) about the Ban on climbing Ayers  Rock. https://soundcloud.com/user-256364995/abc-australia-all-over-with-macca-2-june-2019 Australia all over with Macca. Full show available HERE .