Discovery of Uluru (Ayers Rock)

In 1873, Englishman William Christie Gosse became the first European to climb Uluru (Ayers Rock), after a three-month trek from Alice Springs with a camel train, Afghan cameleers and eight months of provisions.

His journey was something of a contrast to those made by today's visitors, who arrive by plane on a direct flight from any capital city and from Alice Springs, or drive down the 445 kilometre sealed highway from Alice in just a few hours.

Gosse named the Rock after Sir Henry Ayers, the then Chief Secretary who later became Premier of South Australia, but it might well have taken another name had explorer Ernest Giles managed to reach and climb the Rock when he sighted it a year earlier.

Giles did manage, however, to sight Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) in 1872, and named them after Queen Olga of Wurttemberg. He was then forced to turn back to Alice after being blocked by the treacherous salty marshes of Lake Amadeus, 50 kilometres to the north of Uluru.

The First Flight to Ayers Rock

In 1930, the first aeroplane landed at Uluru, piloted by journalist Errol Coote. He was a member of Harold Lasseter's original support party when Lasseter made his unsuccessful attempt to locate a reef of gold in the south-west corner of the Northern Territory.

The First Track to Ayers Rock

The 1930s also marked the carving of the first rough track from Erldunda (193 kilometres south west of Alice Springs) to Uluru by pastoralist Sid Stanes of Erldunda Station.

The track traversed sand dune country and, after heavy rains, was badly rutted, boggy and often impassable.

It was not until the early 1940s that the first graded road linked the Alice and Uluru, but even this gave no guarantee that visitors would have an uneventful trip during the rains.

Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park

At this time, Uluru and Kata Tjuta were part of the Petermann Aboriginal Reserve, which extended over almost 45,000 square kilometres in the Northern Territory's south-west.

Both rock formations, and some 1,325 square kilometres of land surrounding them, were excised from the reserve in 1958 to become the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park.

Tourism Development

Tourism officially arrived at Uluru in the 1950s, when Alice Springs resident Len Tuit ran the first tours and established a base camp to the west of the Uluru climb.

In 1959, leases were granted to two tour companies for the operation of a hotel, four motels, a store and service station at Uluru.

Visitor numbers were first officially recorded in 1958, and the records show that 2,296 intrepid souls travelled from Alice Springs for up to 12 hours through dust or mud, depending on the season, to see what was to become the world's most famous rock.

In the 1960's improvements were made to the Alice Springs - Uluru road, leading to an increase of visitors to more than 23,000 by 1968.

In the 1970's it was decided that the accommodation village and airstrip should be moved outside of the Park area. The Aboriginal Land Council cleared the location for the new town site and planning for the development got underway. In 1980 the start of basic road, airport and utilities construction commenced under the management of the Yulara Development Company Ltd.

In 1983 the campgrounds were opened. In 1984 the Four Seasons Hotel and the Sheraton property now known respectively as Desert Gardens Hotel and Sails in the Desert Hotel were opened. The Resort Shopping Centre, including the bank, became operational and the primary school was completed.

In 1985 the Commonwealth Act was amended to provide for aboriginal ownership and management of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. In 1986 the Park management was transferred from the Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory to the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service.

In 1988 Yulara Maisonettes, currently known as Emu Walk Apartments, were officially opened. In 1989 the new coach campgrounds were opened.

In 1990 Red Centre Hotel, now known as Outback Pioneer Hotel, was opened. In 1991 Yulara Development Company was renamed Ayers Rock Resort Company Limited, a new board was appointed and 40% of the shares were sold off. The Sheraton hotel was sold and all hotels came under one management.

In 1996 Ayers Rock Resort Company purchased Alice Spring Pacific Resort which has now been renamed Alice Springs Resort.

Ayers Rock Resort Company Limited was sold in 1997 for $220 million to General Property Trust which led to the company's new name - Ayers Rock Resort Management Pty Limited (ARRM). In May 2000 Ayers Rock Resort Management changed its name to Voyages Hotels and Resorts to reflect future growth strategies.

For further information, please contact:

Mandy Dwyer, Corporate Public Relations Manager, Voyages Hotels & Resorts Ph: (02) 9339 1000, Mobile: 0419 490 521, Fax: (02) 9339 1010