Aboriginal community BLOCKADE the entrance to Uluru to stop tourists from bringing coronavirus to the National Park
- Local Indigenous community members have blockaded the entrance to Uluru
- The traditional owners are protesting allowing tourist into the national park
- Parks Australia is continuing to allow visitors despite coronavirus concerns
- Jetstar flight with 42 visitors arrived in the region from Brisbane
Indigenous community members worried about COVID-19 staged a blockade at the entrance to Uluru because Parks Australia had continued to allow tourists in.
Traditional owners in the Northern Territory blocked the entrance to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park as a protest on Monday morning after 42 passengers arrived on a Jetstar flight from Brisbane at about 10am.
NT Health officials said three of the passengers had arrived from areas declared as hotspots and were transported by bus to Alice Springs for the two week quarantine.
Traditional owners in the Northern Territory blocked the entrance to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park as a protest on Monday (pictured) after 42 passengers arrived on a Jetstar flight
Pictures from the entrance to the national park show members of The Mutitjulu Community Aboriginal Corporation standing on the highway in protest with cars parked across the asphalt.
‘We were told this flight would not be going ahead today after the NT declared Brisbane a COVID-19 hotspot on Friday,’ general manager Glenn Irvine said.
‘I watched most of the passengers enter Yulara this morning. This presents an egregious and totally unacceptable risk to the residents of Mutitjulu and the surrounding Lasseter region.’
An email from Parks Australia seen by the NT News revealed the organisation had previously refused to close the national park.
The email states Parks Australia’s position is that allowing tourists into Uluru would be safer for the local Aboriginal community because there would be less chance of transmission out in the open.
‘Closing the park now would result in visitors being confined in Yulara where the opportunity for contact with residents is much greater,’ the email reads.
Mr Irvine said traditional owners had been clear they did not want the visitors to enter the park and were left with no choice but to blockade the entrance after they were ignored.
NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he respects traditional owner’s views and said anyone arriving from a hotspot would need to go through mandatory quarantine.
Parks Australia told Daily Mail Australia they agreed to close Uluru national park at 1pm on Monday and conduct talks with traditional owners.
The blockade is no longer in place and the park closure would be reviewed on Tuesday afternoon.
‘Parks Australia is committed to being part of a response that minimises the risk of COVID-19 to staff, visitors and residents within the Mutitjulu and Yulara communities and at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park,’ the department said.
‘Stringent measures have already been put in place by the Northern Territory Government and Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia.’
‘We are working with Mutitjulu Community Aboriginal Corporation, NT Government and Voyages to reach agreement on additional health and visitor screening within the Yulara township, at Ayers Rock Airport and departure points which complement measures already put in place in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.’
Jetstar told Daily Mail Australia they are operating two flights between Brisbane and Uluru per week to deliver supplies and transport visitors.
The airline added they were following federal and state guidelines.
‘We advised all passengers including those from Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan areas they are subject to the travel restrictions that came into force on Saturday. Given these restrictions, we expect it will be largely outbound passengers and freight.’
Tourists are no longer allowed to climb Uluru but can still walk around the base of the rock