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About 100,000 tourists climb Uluru each year

The Australian government once again appears to have backed down from an attempt to ban the controversial Uluru (Ayers Rock) climb.

Despite a recent National Parks plan to close the hiking track, for safety reasons and to respect the Indigenous owners, the federal proposal appears to have given into pressure from the tourism industry, amid fears a ban would lead to a reduction in visitor numbers.

National Parks director Peter Cochrane, previously a vocal supporter of a ban, has now told a Senate hearing that the plan has been revised.

Despite not yet saying how the plan had been changed, Mr Cochrane did explain that he had paid close attention to complaints made by the tourism industry.

The opposition of prime minister Kevin Rudd, who said it would be sad to deny people the experience of climbing the rock, is believed to have been a factor.

The possible decision to let the climb remain open has been celebrated in some quarters. Senator Simon Birmingham, for example, said: “It seems madness that we would shut down one of our premier experiences.”

However, Uluru’s traditional owners, the Anangu, are unlikely to be impressed, having long campaigned to have the walk closed.

Despite being handed back the World Heritage-listed site in 1985, the Anangu, who do not climb Uluru themselves, were forced to lease it back to the government. They were also made to keep the climb open, despite initially being assured it would be closed. Visible signs and information now appear next to Uluru, urging visitors not to climb.

A final decision will be made later this month.

Should you climb Uluru? Here’s our view…