Tara, Queensland, Australia
Really? Camel races? This weekend? Usually I see events either that were in the past or too far in the future. It's only Wednesday noon when I see this sign. But the town is 50 kms south of the road I'm on...wrong direction. I'm heading north. Too bad I didn't risks that road through Tara as originally planned. And after making a Facebook post about missing the camel races, I start to continue on my merry way. Wait! Why can't I go? Where am I heading that won't wait? I could be there tomorrow. Don't ya love how I talk myself into things? So glad I talked myself into this!
So I turned around and headed south. Where did these hills come from? It had been flat going west. A bit of terrain change feels good, actually. Spent another night vamped in the bush...a bit too close to houses though...because the dogs talked to each other all night long. Argh! Lucky I have earplugs! Getting smarter in my old age.
I arrived midday Thursday and got the low down. For $30 I can camp on the showgrounds and have 3 days access to the races and cultural festival. Deal!
Let's go find a place to put up my tent. Fairly open, mildly-treed, dusty-dirty, no grass field filling up with trailers and utes. Where can I out up my wee tent and not get run over? To the back on the edge I decide. Turned out to be a good spot. Then I went to chat up some locals. These two guys, Collin and Tony, are best mates and travel to various festivals together. They are part of a Queensland camping group and are expecting 40-50 campers in their reserved space. I heard 10,000 people attend this thing. It's held every other year. These guys offer to help me with anything I need and invite me over to their campfire later. Ok!
Things weren't beginning until Friday night so I had dome down time to wander, chat, get groceries in town, and generally scope things out. I must say I've been rather surprised and impressed with how well the whole weekend has gone. Johns and showers were clean and operative. Trash cans emptied frequently. Everyone I met...and I met a lot of people...were so kind and interesting. Most had gone for the first time.
So this weekend I've seen camels race
ducks herded
and yabbies (large shrimp) sold and raced
And I did a little betting...and won!
I ate fair food...just one sinful thing...this potato swirl.
And I got to hear didgeridoo and see some aboriginals share their dances and a bit of culture.
The camel racing was hysterical. These are one hump camels, mostly wil dines that have been caught. No, camels are not indigenous to Australia, they were brought here for traveling through the deserts and then either escaped or were released. Now if you need a camel, you catch a wild one and in a few weeks it's racing. And pretty much anyone can be a jockey. I was offered, but value my life and respect that it's been too many years since I was astride a galloping horse to accept his offer. But there was a girl this weekend that jockeyed her first time ever on a camel! And you have to understand that you gave no rains, no control, the camel does what ever he pleases. They zigzag across the course or spin in circles. Sometimes the just sit down. And they run until they come to the barrier carouse the course, the end. They are walked out 400 or 600 meters and run home. And the jockeys sit on pads behind the hump grabbing straps that are wrapped around it. Hold on tight!
They demonstrated the dog trials where working dogs compete herding sheep through an obstacle course, working at their owners commands. Fascinating to see. Then a guy herded ducks! That was hysterical!! Ducks don't want to be herded and these guys ducked under the fence and hid under a campervan. Eventually they also were put through a mini obstacle course but not as easily as the sheep.
But the yabby races beat all! These Aussies will bet on anything, and freely admit it:). So they "auction off" these oversized shrimp talking about their wonderful confirmation and how they were last years grand champion or something...just like the Keeneland horse auctions. Cracked me up! And the went for several hundred dollars. The money was put into a pool and the winner gets 60%. The remaining 40% goes to charity. They did the same thing with the camels before the final race of the day when the winners from the previous races competed. Only they bet up around a thousand dollars each.
Back to the yabbies. They then were released in the middle of a large 30' circle and the firs to over the outer rim was the winner. And they crawled backwards!
Sat around a campfire with new friends. Had happy birthday sung to me:). Heard the bush poets recite their tales. And had the time of my life!! A big shout out to all the wonderful people I met, too many to list them all here, and thank them for making me feel like a long lost friend!! Yooz the best!!
Everything can't be captured on film. Some things just have to be absorbed through the skin. I know I'm not the best at photography because I'm too busy experiencing. But I am posting videos to Facebook because it goes up easier and quicker than in my blog.
And they wear a lot of cowboy hats!
All good things must come to an end and so I needed to continue heading west after saying goodbyes, always the hardest part.
That's my guys (and gal)! Collin and Flash, Paul, Tony and Oscar, ?, Di, and Ian (who I think's nickname is Moose). They adopted me and took great care of me over the weekend!! I couldn't have camped near a nicer, more fun bunch of mates!!!!
Livin' the life!
BagLady
