History of the formation of Uluru

Human settlements in the area have been discovered by archeologists, dating back over 20,000 years. Ancient Aboriginal rock art sites, like Cleland Hills and MacDonnell Ranges, show evidence of past inhabitants. During the construction of the Australian Overland Telegraph line in the 1870s, Earnest Giles and William Gosse were some of the first explorers in the region. In 1872, Giles discovered Olga’s rock formation, named after Queen Olga of Wurttemberg. He later returned to Alice Springs because of the marshes of Lake Amadeus. The following year, William Gosse led an expedition from Alice Springs with a camel train to climb the rock now known as Ayers Rock. He was the first European to do so, and the rock was then named after his superior, Sir Henry Ayers.Today, this historic journey is often highlighted in many Uluru tours. The Australian Government asserted land ownership in the early 1900s and permitted visitor access by the 1930s. Uluru started drawing tourists in 1936, and by the 1950s, it had become a sought-after destination for tourists and miners. Over time, worries arose about the impact of increased tourism on the land. Consequently, in 1973, the Government agreed to relocate the recently built accommodation sites to a new area in Yulara.