Just climbed the rock with NO regrets

by Bob
(Campbelltown)

I just returned from climbing the rock. I at no time felt guilty. If I owned something that was precious but the government took it off me for a long time and then handed it back I would not just five minutes later lease it back for money to the same people that took it off me in the first place.

Why was it that when the Australian Government handed over the 'deeds' to the area formally known as Ayers Rock to the traditional people that only five minutes later the same traditional people signed the same land over to Australian Parks and Wildlife Service for a fee? If it is so sacred then why sign over a 99 year lease back to the same people (government) that just gave it to them knowing that people will climb it?

From what I have read on the handover and the law handing over ownership to the Aborigine people it was agreed by both sides that the rock will be open to be climbed for a set period of time. That time has not come yet. So if the Aborigine people agreed with the law when being given back the land then why have they now changed their minds?

I noted that there was no issues when the government owned it. It only started when the original people wanted it back and then complained.
There was no one at the rock to complain, just a short note on a large sign.

Now having said that I have also read from numerous sources in the net that the traditional people only receive a small fraction of the entry fees.

As I said I had a great time climbing it. I can however see why they close it for winds or rain. After I got up there the wind picked up and was blowing a gale even though it was calm at the start.