Paul_S

Hi All,

For anyone going to Ayres Rock the entry fee has, as of 01-April-04, more than doubled. It will now cost $25.00 per person and no this is not an April fools joke.

Is this fee hike justified? Not in my opinion and I think a few tourist operators also believe it is an unwarranted price rise. National Parks and Wildlife say that the fee is justified because they intend to build new toilets at the base of the Rock climb and at the sunset viewing area. Well bully for them, these would need to be the Taj Mahal of toilets to justify this sort of increase.

I think the NPWS needs to be reigned in as they are simply a law unto themselves and seem hell bent in locking up and detering visitors from our National Parks.

Well that is my little rant for the day, sorry if upsets anyone but I had to say it.

OzMike

Hi paul,
I agree, $25.00 ist pretty steep!
However, it hasn't doubled. In Nov. last year it was $16.25 for the 3 day pass and it had been at that for a few years now.

Cheers, Mike

Paul_S

Hi Mike,

I refuse to go into the park these days, I have been to the Rock more times than I can remember but that was when it was free and in the early paying days. Now if I go I don't bother going into the park.

The Centralian Advocate reported the price rise as more than doubling so I took it for granted that it had, even so $25.00 per person is outrageous. The whole place has become way too expensive for what it is in my view.

Alan

I fully agree with you, Paul_S, and even though I am dismayed at the size of the price hike, I am not really surprised, as this is typical of what's happening all over the world at every major tourist attraction. A few years ago I walked around (and among)Stonehenge for free; last year I paid a hefty admission to see it from a well-set-back path with a chain boundary along it. That's life, I guess. But the charge for Uluru offends me more, because... well, frankly, everyone, it's just a big rock! With Stonehenge, or the Pyramids, you can at least stand in awe of the civilisation that produced it, and even feel like you are transported a couple of thousand years into another time... but this is just a big red rock, and not the only one in Australia! Since, as well as the entry fee, it is also a difficult place to get to, and accommodation is pretty hefty when finally you do get there, frankly, I don't think I'd recommend it unless you had a LOT of time on your hands during an Australian visit!

marg

This increased entry fee will discourage the many many retired Australians who would normally include Uluru in their travels. After all, what do you get for your $25? A visit to the visitors centre and use of a toilet? That's not very good value.
Does this also mean that the entry fee to Kakadu has gone up too?
It really doesn't make much sense when entry to Kings Canyon and Litchfield parks is free of charge.

Paul_S

I would not expect Kings Canyon to stay free much longer, there are now admission fees to Standley Chasm and the NPWS is deliberating on starting a permit system to travel off the bitumen here in the territory. The NPWS has already fenced off many areas and padlocked the gates to stop people from enjoying the natural wonders around here.

I know this is occuring in other parts of Australia but it just seems a self defeating policy, how can you promote tourism of the natural wonders and then turn around and lock them up so no one can see them? It is just sheer lunacy in my opinion.