Debate rages as tourists flock to Uluru to climb it before it’s officially banned

Thousands of tourists have flocked to Uluru to climb the rock before it’s officially banned later this month.

But debate continues to rage over whether the ban should come into place.

A photo of hundreds of people climbing the rock at once gained significant media attention at the weekend.

It led to an opinion piece in the NT News from journalist Hayley Sorensen, where she labelled those on the rock a “conga-line of cretins” and “disrespectful dipsticks”.

“I do not understand how anybody can choose to do this fully in the knowledge of the fact that the people who own it, who it belongs to, don’t want you to,” Ms Sorensen said on 3AW Drive.

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But Marc Hendricx, who runs the Right To Climb Ayers Rock blog, said he couldn’t understand the ban, which comes into effect on October 26.

“I’m absolutely opposed to it,” he said.

“I can’t believe that it’s happening, I really can’t.”

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