In March 1920, an area of land in the southwest corner of the Northern Territory was made into an aboriginal reservation, called the Petermann Reserve. It was meant to be a temporary refuge (safe place) for the Aboriginal families living in the area, many of whom were still living traditional, nomadic lifestyles. It bordered other large reserves created in Western Australia and South Australia, and together the area was known as the Central Australian Aboriginal Reserve. In 1940, the Petermann Reserve was made smaller, to allow people to look for gold. It was made smaller again in 1958, when the government excised the area around Uluṟu and Kata Tjuṯa to create the Ayers Rock–Mt Olga National Park.