I have been three times. Hoping for a better experience. Nope. Having a pet made it doubly so.

It was closed for a number of reasons. In no particular order it was deemed a sacred site. The sandstone was being worn away by trampling. The porous sections were being polluted by people urinating. Fossils were being destroyed. The dopes were falling off and either being killed or injured. I also imagine that public liability insurance would be rather prohibitive. Why dont you just take up your concerns and share your views and expertise with Parks Australia.

The Rock is primarily arkose which is 6-7 on the mohs scale. If youre climbing it in hob nail boots, you wont damage it.

I have climbed it several times (1967, 1970, not 1974 because it was raining and 2003) and I can assure you that the climbing track is definitely worn into the sandstone.
Cheers,
Peter

I agree about the wear on the rock surface, although it was more cosmetic than causing severe damage. In 1987, we first saw the rock. When we arrived at the resort, the rock was cmpletely socked in with heavy cloud. A short time later, the cloud cleared, the sun was shining, so we did what everyone else does - we climbed the rock. We were at the top when more cloud came over, and naturally didn't see anything. The wind was so strong that on the way down, my wife had to stand on the upwind side of the chain as a windbreak and I had to stand about 4 feet downwind so that our 11 yr old daughter wouldn't be blown away. The wind blew her off her feet her several times on the way down. Scary to say the least. We then drove around the rock, and water was cascading down from every crevice on the rock. The next day, no a cloud in the sky, brilliant colours of the sky and the rock - a marked contrast.

Four years later, my wife and I drove back there, and 2 weeks later, my daughter and her friend flew to Ayres Rock airport. They arrived about midday. A quick lunch, and then off to climb the rock again. It was HOT, and a large number of tourists were coming down the chain as we were going up. They all told us that there was a guy selling Coca Cola at the top. Oh yeah! Well, when we got to the top, he was there! $2.00 per can ($0.60 per can at the resort). He had a backpack with 2 slabs of coke. I didn't see any empties up there, but I am sure that not all of the tourists would have taken the empties with them. I guess the wind would eventually have blown them down somewhere...

About 5 years ago, my wife and I went back to the rock. Never again - commericalised beyond belief. Uluru campground, the resort and of course the Rock itself all ridiculously over-priced. Thousands of people there as well. We had seen the rock 3 times, and that was enough for us. Also, we are now too old to climb the rock, even if we allowed.

"the Rock itself all ridiculously over-priced."
Your telling me you pay to get up close to the rock? 

As the rock is in a national park, you have to pay to get in. The pics of the steps isnt indicative of wear levels. Marble has a hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale. You could lick off bits lol. Ive been twice. I didnt look for or see any wear. I did see shiny areas on the paths. To be expected. So what.