Places We Like to Nomad: Boulia Camel Races

A week before the famous camel races at Boulia in Outback Queensland, we jockeyed for a prime campsite there before another estimated 4,000 guests arrived.

For the next 6 days, lots of grey nomads, young families and camel aficionados gathered round campfires in a happy, festive atmosphere. Groups of travellers circled the caravans and beat the evening chill with a campfire wafting the delightful scent of woodsmoke backlit by the setting sun.

As I size up the showers, an old bloke wanders in for a look around the facilities, then says to me: "Yep, three shitters and five showers, noice!" True blue Aussie, love it.

Someone send us popcorn please...

Most caravans/motorhomes have been here for a week in the best sites. While there is tons of space in the field opposite, this campervan arrived and parked about just one metre away from another caravan. They are nose to nose in their chairs. HUGE ROW! He won't budge.

So far, as retaliation, the caravan has turned its grey water hose towards their camp, started their very noisy generator, is playing the radio with windows open, played the guitar, ran the engine car on high revs for an hour in the morning.

We easily anticipated further plots: campfire smoking in their direction, dog made to bark or even better to crap on their mat, more insults and God knows what. Popcorn anyone??

Friday dawns as a warm up day with a lawn mower race featuring lots of noise, dust, and a souped up mower that seems more motorbike than daisycutter.

Next day camel racing begins, so the local compere interviews a few trainers. We hear a story from a camel jockey that once in a camel/horse race, a camel was ahead by 200m. He turned round, then turned round again, and still won the race! There's no directing a camel, no reins.

We were completely distracted by a willy-willy that swept suddenly throughout the camp. It then rose into the atmosphere forming in a ring.

Dressed to impress the camels, the crowds rocked up in costume sporting wide smiles.

The crackup sisters had a fancy home base for their fun and games.

All the way from Toowoomba came a lovely author signing her amazing book of memoirs for a life well-loved, ranging from Sydney to the Kimberley, the NT, and Outback Queensland.

After sunset the band plays loud and funky style to pep up the dancing on the racecourse late into the night.

Larrikins on the campsite set off rogue fireworks which unleash demented woofing from dogs sequestered in caravans.

Saturday dawns, continuing a clear run of perfect weather. First event is a first for Australia, a Camel vs Horse race which unsurprisingly leaves the camels in the horses' dust.

The heats for the 400m, 100m, and 1500m camel races take up the rest of the day.

We bet $10 on biggest 10-1 odds with 'Huff and Puff' in the 400m heat. He looks a little motheaten, but we reckon those quivering, drooling lips might be a sign of hidden talent. Weĺl, within 20 seconds it was clear our animal was lending all his puff to the favourite which romped home whilst our choice slowed to a trot 200m behind.

Camel tagging, a sport where feisty competitors on foot attempt to stick a duct tape tag on a camel, kept us on tenterhooks, not least when one camel unleashed a hefty kick just brushing the belly of a stout competitor.

Sunday was the final day, time to view some yabby racing where the crustaceans (blue in colour but also called redclaws) are first auctioned, then placed in the middle of a pair of circles. Helped by squirts from a water bottle, the yabbies are spurred on so the first to cross the outer circle is the winner. Pace of the race is not exactly Formula One, however lots of money changes hands. $300 to sponsor a yabby anyone?