A 12-year-old girl is lucky to be alive after falling approximately 20 metres while climbing Uluru with her family, just weeks before the climbing ban comes into force.
Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) flight nurse Troy Dicks, who attended the incident on Tuesday, said the girl was descending from the summit when she fell "some 20 metres", resulting in a fractured finger, multiple grazes and a possible fractured ankle.
"I was greatly concerned and was thinking there was going to be critical injuries, but she’s been fortunate considering the extent of her fall," he said.
The RFDS was sent to Yulara, near Uluru, where the girl received treatment at the local medical clinic. She was then flown 450 kilometres to Alice Springs Hospital where she is reported to be in a stable condition, the RFDS said in a statement.
Tourists have been , set to come into force on 26 October.
A sign located at Uluru. Source: Supplied
Earlier this month, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park manager Mike Misso estimated that close to 1,000 people were visiting the site each day.
"People need to take responsibility for their own actions and safety but we give advice about being safe in the park," Mr Misso told Sky News.
Photos of hoards of people climbing the rock have sparked outrage among Australians who believe the traditional owners' wishes that people do not climb the sacred site should be respected.
Uluru is considered sacred by the traditional owners, the Anangu Aboriginal people.
"Traditional owners are looking forward to the climb closure and what is actually a new direction for the park so one based on the natural and cultural values of the park and new tourist experiences," Mr Misso said earlier this month.
