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| Camels, rum and fistfights. I've optimised these photos to speed up loading time. But I wanted to retain a reasonable quality and if you are using a dial-up connection they may take a few minutes to load. While you're waiting, let me tell you about Boulia... 
Blissfully unaware of any special event, Andy and I rolled into the tiny one street town of Boulia
in outback Queensland.While we were filling up at the petrol station we were questioned by a couple of enthusiastic young aboriginal boys on bmx bikes. They wanted to know all about our bikes and where we were from. One boy also asked me with a nod towards Andy if he was my 'best friend' ? They explained that they were due to go on a school trip soon to Canberra, and then into the mountains where they had been promised the sight of snow. In the dusty orange streets of Boulia, rain itself would be a rare treat. Liking the feel of the town, we sauntered up to the town's motel and casually asked for one of the 6 rooms for the night. We were met by an incredulous look, it was, we were informed, the eve of the greatest day in the calendar, the Boulia Outback Camel Races. There were no rooms available but we headed out to the showground and camped there. The entrance fee included a book of 'drinks vouchers'. We should have suspected this would be no ordinary evening. Having pitched our tent in the sand, we headed into the race track for a look around. As night fell, this evening's main event got under way. It's a little known fact that Australia is the only country in the world with a wild camel population. A small area was fenced off and one by one feral (wild) camels were brought in. It was then the task of pairs of men to rope the beast and drag it to the ground in the shortest time. Feeling a little out place amongst the cheering, 10 gallon hatted crowd, we kept a low, and more importantly a quiet profile. I can imagine that two bloody poms would be the ideal 'volunteers' to wrestle a camel! Having had enough of this somewhat brutal sport, we continued to use our drinks vouchers to great effect at the Bundaburg rum bar. Next stop, the last of the touring boxing tents. In an archaic display of drums and showmanship, the promoter introduced his boxers and called for volunteers from the crowd. I looked at Andy. Time to keep our mouths firmly shut again. Several brave souls volunteered. We know not of their success as we declined to buy tickets to go inside and watch the matches. By this point we were more concerned with staying near the bar. Not only was it such a coincidence that we'd arrived in Boulia on that day, but this years event was even more special. This was the culmination of a reenactment of the old Cobb & Co. mail coach journey. The travellers were having a fine time celebrating and dancing to the band. There was a mixture of aboriginal and 'white' australians and there seemed to be a good degree of socialising between the two groups. We retired long before the party ended. Now don't get me wrong, I like a bit of Country music once in a while. But these people were up at dawn. Dawn I tell you. And the music was on, very loudly, soon after. I thought it was some fool having a practical joke at the expense of the rest of the campsite. Wrong. Well, anxious to regain the tranquility for which we'd travelled all this way, we loaded up and headed out of town. Hungover but suitably impressed with the friendly nature of the event. Our disquiet the night before was largely paranoia at being, as far as we could judge, the only 'outsiders'. | |
The blue and the red, Bunyeroo Gorge, S.A.
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'Magnetic' anthills, always align East - West | |
Outback Queensland | |
The chef makes damper. Damper is the traditional bread made on the campfire.
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Clancys Overflow Hotel, Isisford, QLD
The hotel had the cheapest beer and the landlady made
a great buffet for the (eight or ten) customers.
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Uluru from Kata Tjuta
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Opal mining town of Coober Pedy. Drive-in cinema in centre.
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Raced by brumbies (wild horses) | |
Roadtrains: Avoid.
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Devils Marbles | |
Kata Tjuta, N.T.
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Uluru
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Climbing Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges
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Uluru | |
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