Out near the camels
Australia is the only country in the world to have wild camels wandering freely in the countryside. Originally introduced as a means of transport by Afghani traders in the 1800s, camels were used extensively in the exploration of Australia's harsh terrain. With the advent of the car and rail systems many were released into the wild and left to their own devices. They thrived and now their population is estimated to be over 150,000.
Camel racing
Camel racing began informally at picnic meetings at the beginning of last century, but has boomed into something of a cultural icon. The first major race was held in Alice Springs in 1971 along the dry Todd River bed, and since then race days have been seen popping up in as many as 14 different outback towns. Races can attract crowds of up to 10,000 people. These days the circuit's combined winnings total more than $100,000, with the largest single prize of $30,000 being offered at Boulia in western Queensland at the Desert Sand Camel Cup.
A perfect spectator sport
Probably in response to this financial incentive, there has been progressive development in the professionalism of camel racing in recent years with the introduction of legal bookies, dope testing and proper care for the camels themselves. There are now full-time trainers who use similar techniques to horse trainers. The saddles have become lighter and the camels are now fed specific diets to help them maintain their peak performance. As a result, the races are becoming more and more competitive and faster. And training camels is no mean feat – it involves a great deal of handling, grooming and endless hours of track work in order to simply get them running in straight lines. Camels are not as easily trained as horses and are recognised as selfish and temperamental. They are prone to swerving and stopping dead in their tracks to catch their breath, adding a certain risky unpredictability to camel racing – making it a perfect spectator sport.
For information on camel race locations, schedules, results and dates visit Australian Camel Safaris