10,000 Years of Ayers Rock History

Ayers Rock or Uluru is a large sandstone rock formation in southern part of the Northern Territory of central Australia. Lying 208 miles south west of the nearest large town of Alice Springs, the area has been inhabited for the more than 10,000 years.

Ernest Giles, a white explorer first laid eyes on Ayers Rock in October 1872. The first European to visit the site was William Gosse on the 19th of July, 1873. He named it Ayers Rock after Sir Henry Ayers, Chief Secretary of South Australia at the time. William Gosse was also the first European to climb Ayers Rock.

In 1950 Ayers Rock was made a national park. Title to the land was handed back to Anangu traditional owners upon condition that they lease the park to the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service. The pact was to jointly manage Ayers Rock with the condition that it would be open to climbers.

In 1995 the park name changed from "Ayers Rock - Mount Olga National Park" to "Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park" reflecting the traditional ownership and the Anangu's traditional relationship. Today the parks Board of Management consists mainly of traditional owners. Many local Aborigines work in the park. The Anangu ask visitors to respect their culture.