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Australia Says No To Pooping On Uluru

The last time we mentioned the big red rock that is Uluru, a major tourist attraction almost smack-bang in the middle of Australia, it was with the relatively reasonable question of should we climb it or not, given the apparent dangers and the feelings of the local Aboriginal people. This time though, Uluru is up for discussion because, unbelievably, some tourists are using the top of the rock as a toilet.

As Northern Territory boss Paul Henderson said this week: "It is outrageous and offensive that tourists are defecating on top of Uluru, an Aboriginal sacred site." You can say that again. A tour operator admitted that some tourists even took a roll of toilet paper with them, despite knowing that there were no toilet facilities of any kind at the top of the rock, and no soil or sand to dig in.

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Tags: Travel Bans / Ayers Rock / Uluru / Australia Travel / → All Tags

Australia's Big Red Rock: To Climb or Not To Climb?

One of Australia's biggest tourist attractions, Uluru (AKA the rock formerly known as Ayers Rock), is at the center of a political controversy right now, and it's all about the age-old question: to climb or not to climb?

The Aboriginal people who are the traditional owners of big, red Uluru have never liked people climbing on it as it's a sacred place to them. It especially pains them when tourists die on the rock, which has happened more than 30 times over the years. Midnight Oil frontman-turned-politician Peter Garrett, now the Minister for Environment in Australia, agrees with them, and suggested closing the climb to tourists permanently.

But it looks like tourism dollars are stronger than respect for sacred sites, because the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, thinks the 100,000 visitors who climb the rock every year should be allowed to keep doing it. So it looks like you don't need to hurry Down Under too fast, although for tourists who agree with Garrett there's already a roaring trade in tourist paraphernalia saying "I chose not to climb Uluru".

Related Stories:
· Uluru Ban Merely a Proposal: Garrett [The Australian]
· Rudd Opposes Ban on Climbing Uluru [The Age]
· UFO Travel: The Real Origins of Uluru [Jaunted]

[Photo: melalouise]

Tags: Australia Travel / Ayers Rock / World Heritage Sites / UFO Travel / → All Tags

UFO Travel: The Real Origins of Uluru

If you haven't been lucky enough to visit yet, you're still probably aware that there's a massive red rock right in the middle of Australia. Uluru (once known as Ayers Rock) is a World Heritage Site as well as being a particularly sacred spot for the local Aboriginal people, who have to put up with close to half a million tourists traipsing 'round there every year.

What the Aboriginal people probably didn't realize is that the old rock paintings you can find around Uluru are actually the work of astronauts. Apparently, the red rock of Uluru is in fact a giant red egg that was a kind of spaceship, and when it crashed into the middle of Oz, humans emerged from it.

At least so say the members of an American UFO enthusiast group. You might want to plan a trip to Uluru to check out this story for yourself, or even better, just go because it's a really beautiful place. Take a plane down under or just fly in a big red egg if you prefer.

Related Stories:
· Aliens Created Humans at Uluru [news.com.au]
· Boi in Oz [Jaunted]
· Australia Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Tushar]

Tags: Ayers Rock / → All Tags

Boi in Oz

The venerable blogger, and sometimes travel guru, BoiFromTroy recently returned from the land down under.  Where Bondi Boys glow and Starbucks plunders--according to Boi, who shares photos and stories on his site.

Looks like he also did the Uluru base walk, perhaps even the Uluru climb?

Related Stories:
·   Uluru Reviews [TripAdvisor]