Camel Cup
Author: Hana Simes, June 2005

It was a long and lonely trek for the Afghan camel men who carted supplies for stations and outback towns along the Birdsville Track during the late 1800s.

The 500km trip from Marree in Sout Australia to Birdsville in southwest Queensland could take the cameleers up to six months, and through some of Australia’s harshest and most unforgiving terrain.

The strength and resilience of the cameleers will be recognised in a special tribute during the Marree Camel Cup Races to be held on July 9 and 10. The Australian Outback Camelmen Project is an integral part of this year’s race meeting, which celebrates the town’s rich Afghan heritage.

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about and experience the unique culture and lifestyle of the outback. They will meet Afghan descendents attending in traditional garb and sample their food, visit a photo and memorabilia exhibition. Saddle up for a camel ride and enjoy outback music.

More than 150 Afghan descendents and their families from all over Australia will take part in the weekend’s activities.

Pamela Rajkowski, author of ‘In The Tracks Of The Camelmen’, said the weekend would give Afghan descendents an opportunity to rediscover their heritage.

“There are still many very proud Afghan descendents for whom their culture is still a vital part of their lives,” Pamela said.

“They want to carry on the Afghan names and want the history and contribution of the camel men to be cherished,” she said.

The Marree Camel Cup will be held on Saturday, July 9 at the racetrack, 3km outside of Marree. Experience the thrills, spills and sheer spectacle of this unique event as 30 camels from around the country compete in the 13-race program, which gets underway at 10am.

No race meeting is complete without bookmakers and full bar facilities, and the Camel Cup is no exception. There will also be camel and pony rides for the kids and novelty events throughout the day. Sydney band ‘Beyond the Reef’ will perform from 7pm.

For more information or for accommodation details, call the Marree Outback Centre on 8675 8222.



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