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The Anangu people
The Anangu people populated the area of Uluru for over 10,000 years -
European discovery
Europeans sited Uluru and named the monolith Ayres-rock by an English surveyor. -
Settlement
Sir Henry Ayers attempts to establish a settlement there, however, failed -
Settlement established
A settlement was finally established, and tourists followed not long after -
First tours
The first tours of the area commenced in 1955 -
Declared a National Park
Uluru and Kata-Tjuta were removed from the Aboriginal reserve and declared a National Park (i.e. under Australian Government control) -
Tourism infrastructure
In the late 1950s tourism infrastructure was developed – the first track around Uluru was created, the first fly-in-fly-out tours were operated and motel leases were granted. An airstrip was built in 1959 -
Climbing the rock
When the area became popular in the 1960s, a chain was installed on the rock to assist people to climb it -
Removal of the Anangu
Tour operators put pressure on the government to have the Anangu removed from the park -
Infrastructure developed
Tourist infrastructure was initially established in the National Park, however, a decision was made to establish a settlement, Yulara, 15km from the rock. -
Settlement opened
This opened and motels and campgrounds were shut down not long after. -
Handed back to the Anangu people
The Anangu were increasingly concerned about the effects that tourism, mining and pastoralism were having on the area, and they requested rights to the area. Finally, the Hawke Government agreed to hand back the area. The Park was originally managed by the Government, however, the area was formally handed back to the Anangu people -
Leased to the Australian government
It was then leased straight back to the Australian Government for 99 years, for joint management. The Australian Government also promised to close the climb, however, two years later that promise reneged. More than 30 people have died while climbing Uluru, and the Anangu feel great sadness and responsibility when anyone dies on their land. The area also holds immense spiritual significance to them and walking on the rock itself was actually traditionally an Indigenous man’s right of passage. -
UNESCO
UNESCO named it a World Heritage Area of natural significance -
Naming policy
It was officially known as Ayres Rock until 1993 when the dual naming policy came into effect – the sites were known as Ayres Rock/Uluru and Mount Olga/Kata Tjuta -
Recognition
Recognized as an area of immense cultural importance to the Indigenous Australians, one of the oldest civilisations on earth. -
Names reversed
At the request of the Regional Tourism Association in Alice Springs, the names were reversed to Uluru/Ayres Rock and Kata Tjuta/Mount Olga. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is managed jointly by the Director of National Parks and the Uluru-Kate Tjuta Board of Management.