The world famous climb to the top of Uluru, the sacred red rock in central Australia, has permanently closed. The local Anangu have long asked tourists not to walk on the ancient sandstone monolith because of its spiritual significance.
But the closure of the climb was not universally popular and it brought in an influx of people to the World Heritage Listed site. It was cringe-worthy to see hordes of desperate tourists clawing shoulder to shoulder up the Rock in recent weeks for the chance to reach the summit before it closed.
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On 26 October, the 34th anniversary of the date that Uluru was handed over to the indigenous caretakers of the land, the last 'minga' climbed Uluru. It was a cause for union and celebration amongst the aboriginal people that came to celebrate the closing.
We can only imagine the sense of peace this returns to the local community.
In fact, meandering around the 10km circumference of Uluru is a sublime experience. For the park’s Anangu traditional owners, Uluru and Kata Tjuta tell important stories from the beginning of time.
According to Tjukurpa (creation stories) the Rock's unique formations were created by ancestral beings that have travelled through the landscape since time immemorial.
Walks around the base of Uluru follow the tracks of the ancestral beings. The rock’s shapes and textures hold knowledge and stories that have been passed down through generations of Anangu and are still relevant today.
At the Cosmic Consciousness Conference, Earth Chakra expert, Robert Jameson, will be sharing the work of Robert Coon including some of the significant points around the Uluru base. There is the home of the Rainbow Serpent, they leyline points to Attila and Kata Tjuta of course, as well as the cave of conception and the Naldawata Pole - the symbol of the Solar Umbilical Cord.
One famous sacred spots is the Mutijulu waterhole. It’s the site of one of Uluru’s most dramatic creation stories – the deadly battle between Kuniya and Liru. Wherever you walk around Mutitjulu Waterhole, you are surrounded by the presence of two ancestral beings – Kuniya, the woma python, and Liru, the poisonous snake.
Find out more about the walks at Uluru.