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| Uluru climbing ban: Tourists to scale sacred rock for final time | Uluru climbing ban: Tourists to scale sacred rock for final time |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Huge crowds are expected to scramble up Australia's Uluru on Friday before a ban on the climb takes effect. | Huge crowds are expected to scramble up Australia's Uluru on Friday before a ban on the climb takes effect. |
| The giant monolith - formerly known as Ayers Rock - will be permanently off limits to visitors from Saturday. | The giant monolith - formerly known as Ayers Rock - will be permanently off limits to visitors from Saturday. |
| Uluru is sacred to its indigenous custodians, the Anangu people, who have long implored tourists not to climb. | Uluru is sacred to its indigenous custodians, the Anangu people, who have long implored tourists not to climb. |
| Only 16% of visitors went up in 2017 - when the ban was announced - but the climb has been packed in recent weeks. | Only 16% of visitors went up in 2017 - when the ban was announced - but the climb has been packed in recent weeks. |
| In recent months, photos circulating of people in lines snaking up Uluru have even drawn comparisons to recent scenes on Mount Everest. | In recent months, photos circulating of people in lines snaking up Uluru have even drawn comparisons to recent scenes on Mount Everest. |
| One social media user posted a timelapse showing the massive queue at Uluru just one day before the closure. | |
| In 2017, the board of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park voted unanimously to end the climb because of the spiritual significance of the site. | In 2017, the board of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park voted unanimously to end the climb because of the spiritual significance of the site. |
| One Anangu man told the BBC that Uluru was a "very sacred place, [it's] like our church". | One Anangu man told the BBC that Uluru was a "very sacred place, [it's] like our church". |
| "People right around the world... they just come and climb it. They've got no respect," said Rameth Thomas. | "People right around the world... they just come and climb it. They've got no respect," said Rameth Thomas. |
| There are several signs at the base of Uluru that urge tourists not to climb, but some said they would "do it anyway". | There are several signs at the base of Uluru that urge tourists not to climb, but some said they would "do it anyway". |
| "It's because of my ego I want to climb it," said Pamela, a tourist from Queensland. | "It's because of my ego I want to climb it," said Pamela, a tourist from Queensland. |
| "I have two replacement knees and I want to see if I can do it." | "I have two replacement knees and I want to see if I can do it." |
| Locals said that tourists had been dumping waste and camping illegally nearby. | Locals said that tourists had been dumping waste and camping illegally nearby. |
| Since the 1950s, dozens of people have died on Uluru due to accidents, dehydration and other heat-related events. In 2018, a Japanese tourist died while attempting to ascend one of the steepest parts of the rock. | Since the 1950s, dozens of people have died on Uluru due to accidents, dehydration and other heat-related events. In 2018, a Japanese tourist died while attempting to ascend one of the steepest parts of the rock. |
| Uluru is 348m (1,142ft) high, and the climb is steep and can be slippery. Temperatures in the area can also reach 47C (116F) in the summer. | Uluru is 348m (1,142ft) high, and the climb is steep and can be slippery. Temperatures in the area can also reach 47C (116F) in the summer. |