The crime may have been committed any time in the past 41 years, but this is a national security issue. It's of utmost importance.

Actually, it's probably not so much a national security issue, it's more of a national pride issue.

Reader Alan Hamilton, of Hamilton East, told Topics he recently climbed Uluru.

"I thought I would pass on two photos I took 41 years apart at the summit of Uluru," Alan said.

The photos are of a "marker cairn" at the top of Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock.

"When I got back to Newcastle, I compared it to a slide [from 1978] I had converted to digital some years ago.

"I noticed that the map of Australia and the Australian coat of arms, plus the background wattle, had been stolen."

A Google search told Alan that the Ayers Rock cairn and brass plaque were installed at the summit in 1970.

"By the time I got up there in 1978, Tasmania was already stolen."

As our English cousins would say, it must be down to our convict blood.

We're better cricketers, though. Aren't we?

While we're on this subject, have you heard the 348-metre high Uluru will be closed to climbing for good from October 26.

Traditional owners of the land and the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park board made the landmark decision a while back.

This has apparently led to an increase in tourists climbing the world heritage-listed site before the practice is banned.

Anangu, the traditional owners, oppose people climbing Uluru because it's a sacred men's site. They also feel cultural responsibility over the number of deaths and injuries at the site. Thirty-seven people have died on the rock since the 1950s. The main causes were heart attacks and head injuries from falls, panic attacks or fainting.

Climbers on the rock have also caused erosion and pollution.

Climb or no climb, the Red Centre is well worth visiting. It's one of Australia's most significant cultural destinations.

Speaking of iconic Aussie things, Wickham's Ryan Papworth shared a story about meeting Bob Hawke in 2008 at a Singleton Rugby Club sportsman's lunch. About 750 people attended.

Ryan is the bloke in today's paper who bought an iconic photograph of Bob Hawke at auction.

"On the morning of the event, I raced around to every newsagent in town to try and find a Bob Hawke book to get signed. All I could find was a book called Prime Ministers of Australia," Ryan said.

"It was a hardcover book. The protective sleeve had Paul Keating on the front.

"As we all know, they didn't really see eye-to-eye. I've had to bin that and just take the green hardbound book. He did sign it. It was a great moment," Ryan said.