July 20 marked 150 years since the first documented account of climbing Australia’s famous Ayers Rock. While climbing ‘The Rock’ likely dates back into the waning stages of the Pleistocene when humans first arrived in the red centre some 25,000 years ago, the first person to make a record of the climb was an explorer and surveyor William Christie Gosse (1842-1881). He climbed with Afghan Cameleer Kamran on July 20, 1873, during an expedition to explore a route from central Australia to Perth.
Since Gosse’s ascent, nearly 7 million people – families, couples, soloists, and royalty from the four corners of the globe have emulated his achievement and stood at the summit, experiencing the thrill of the climb along with the joy, awe, and wonder of the remarkable views featuring the nearby Olgas, Mt Conner, Lake Amadeus, and distant ranges.
The 150th anniversary slipped by, barely noticed. In contrast, the 100th anniversary in 1973 was celebrated in gusto under adverse weather conditions with a re-creation of Gosse’s historical climb complete with camels attended by over 300 people and a range of activities including a beer drinking contest, BBQ, a corroboree, and a gala centenary ball at the Ayers Rock Hotel. Little of this event is preserved, but a few photos held by the National Library capture the magic. Plans for the celebrations had to be rearranged as Ayers Rock received over 2 inches of rain in the lead-up to the event, but in true resilient Centralian style, the celebration went ahead regardless.
Many relics and historical records from Gosse have survived. His personal account of his explorations into central Australia live on, including sketches. In 1872, Gosse was charged with finding a route from central Australia through to Western Australia. He came across a stunning rock formation which he named ‘Ayers’ after the Governor of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers, on July 19, 1873. Gosse then became the first European to scale the summit.
Gosse’s diary entry for July 20, 1873, spoke of his climb to the summit:
Sunday, July 20 – Ayers Rock. Barometer 28.07 in., wind east. I rode round the foot of rock in search of a place to ascend; found a waterhole on south side, near which I made an attempt to reach the top, but found it hopeless. Continued along to the west, and discovered a strong spring coming from the centre of the rock, and pouring down some very steep gullies into a large deep hole at the foot of rock. This I have named Maggie’s Spring. Seeing a spur less abrupt than the rest of the rock, I left the camels here, and after walking and scrambling two miles barefooted, over sharp rocks, succeeded in reaching the summit, and had a view that repaid me for my trouble – Kamran accompanied me. The top is covered with small holes in the rock, varying in size from two to twelve feet diameter, all partly filled with water. Mount Olga is about twenty miles west. Some low ranges and ridges west-north-west, one of which I think must be McNicol’s Range; part of lake visible, bearing north Mount Conner 96°, and high ranges south-east, south, and south-west, with sandhills between. The one south-east. I have named after His Excellency Governor Musgrave; and a high point in same, bearing 141°, Mount Woodroffe, after the Surveyor-General. This is a high mass of granite, the surface of which has been honeycombed, and is decomposing, 1,100 feet above surrounding country, two miles in length (east and west), and one mile wide, rising abruptly from the plain. How I envied Kamran his hard feet; he seemed to enjoy the walking about with bare feet, while mine were all in blisters, and it was as much as I could do to stand: the soil around the rock is rich and black. This seems to be a favourite resort of the natives in the wet season, judging from the numerous camps in every cave. These caves are formed by large pieces breaking off the main rock and falling to the foot. The blacks make holes under them, and the heat of their fires causes the rock to shell off, forming large arches. They amuse themselves covering these with all sorts of devices – some of snakes, very cleverly done, others of two hearts joined together; and in one I noticed a drawing of a creek with an emu track going along the centre. I shall have more time to examine these when the main camp is here. This rock is certainly the most wonderful natural feature I have ever seen. What a grand sight this must present in the wet season; waterfalls in every direction. I shall start back, tomorrow, and trust to finding some water between here and King’s Creek, which is now eighty-four miles distant.
Some mistakenly think he climbed up above Maggie Springs, but it’s clear from the description ‘seeing a spur less abrupt than the rest of the rock…’ he took the easiest route to the summit which is where the current posted climb is.
Pity he got the geology wrong, it’s not granite, it’s sandstone (arkose), but what a truly marvellous tale!
