Australian Camels - Vermin of the Outback

Australia's wild camel population is the largest in the world. Camels are not native to Australia. They were introduced and have become a pest. A lot of Australia is semi arid. Camels are perfectly suited to the Australian outback.

In 1860 24 camels were imported to Australia for the Bourke and Wills expedition. Between 1860 and 1907 an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 camels were imported. Camels imported to Australia came mostly from India and Palestine. Nearly all of them were the one humped variety. About 20 two humped camels were imported.

They were used for riding and as pack animals for exploration and construction work. They supplied goods to remote mines and settlements. They helped lay the foundations of the nation.

Australia started breeding its own camels. The first of several Australian camel studs were established in 1866 in South Australia. The studs operated for over 50 years. Australian bred camels were of a better quality. Camels proved to be the perfect transport solution for the Australian outback.

Camels do not need roads. With their huge feet they can easily walk over soft sand that bogs any wheeled vehicle. Camels do not need shoeing like horses. A camel is old enough for light pack work at age 3. It can continue working until age 40. It's a long working life for an animal. Camels can carry an impressive load. A full-grown male camel can carry up to 600 kg.

Camels and camel drivers (Ghans) opened up the Australian outback. The camel drivers came from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Turkish Empire. The train that crosses the Australian outback, the Ghan, is named after the Afghan camel drivers. The endurance, knowledge and skill of the camel drivers was crucial in the Australian outback in the early days. The first explorers relied on them as they travelled the inhospitable Australian desert. All the key projects that made the Australian outback accessible depended on the camels and their drivers. Those projects were, the Overland Telegraph Line from Adelaide to Darwin, the Transcontinental Railway Line, the Canning Stock Route and many more.

Cameleers came to Australia on 2 to 3 year contracts. But they often lived out their lives in the country. A handful became wealthy. They organized thousands of camels into the backbone of corporate business. Most cameleers toiled from dawn to dusk for low pay. They lived in little communities near outback towns. Wherever the cameleers settled they'd hastily construct a place of worship. The tin towers of their mosques distinguished them. The mosque was always the focal point of community life in Ghan Town.

Progress and development took their course. By the 1920s the camels' working days were numbered. Roads, railways and airstrips were built. Eventually the camels could not compete with trucks, trains and planes.

Even when they were working, some camels escaped or were simply let go. When they were no longer needed large herds were set free. Camels survive very well in our Australian outback deserts. The Australian outback has an estimated 350 plant species. Camels eat 325 of them. They thrived and multiplied. They live in the arid central desert. Half of them are in Western Australia. Another quarter is in the Northern Territory. The rest are in South Australia and Queensland.

It's not known exactly how many there are (2007). It's estimated to be between 600,000 and a million. Nevertheless, there are too many and the number is expected to rise. The Australian outback is under going an extended drought. The camels are thirsty. In searching for water they cause considerable damage. They've become a serious pest. They're vermin to agriculture, environmental and the outback.

Travel through central Australia and you'll see wild camels. They're everywhere. They stand on the highway and are a traffic hazard. They overrun isolated communities to get to taps, wells and air-conditioners. They ruin water holes and water troughs on cattle stations. They enter houses, homesteads and towns. They trample fences and smash tanks. The carcasses of camels killed in stampedes at water storage areas contaminate the water supply. They invade remote settlements and eat gardens and flowers. They scare residents as they tear apart bathrooms and rip up water pipes. People are frightened to leave their homes because of the big, strong animals, which can grow over 2 meters tall and weigh over 900 kilos.

Wild camels threaten undeveloped desert regions. They compete with sheep, cattle and native animals for food and water. They destroy aboriginal sacred sites. They damage aboriginal food sources, national parks and anything in their path. Camels are seriously upsetting the balance of the fragile Australian desert ecosystem.

In the worst affected areas cattle station owners spend 80% of their maintenance budget on fixing camel damage. Some estimate at up to $60,000 a year. Some properties have over 2000 camels on their land. The owners are in despair.

Culling must be a part of the solution. Helicopters herd the camels to a designated area where shooters gather. They're shot. The carcasses are left to rot. But there's a problem with public sensitivity about animal cruelty.

Alternatively, camels can be made into a useful resource. They could provide a financial benefit to aboriginal communities and station owners. Abattoirs can be built to slaughter camels. The meat sold for human consumption and for pet food. New export markets need to be developed. However, business responds the law of supply and demand. Will there be enough public demand to support a camel industry?

At present the commercialisation of camels is restricted to the tourist trade. There are over 50 camel farms in Australian catering to domestic and international tourists. Most camel farms are in Western Australia or the Northern Territory. There are some in Queensland and South Australia. There are some in Victoria and New South Wales even though those states do not have wild camels. You should be able to find a camel farm wherever you are.

Camel farms offer everything from a short, ten minute camel ride to a three week camel safari. You can go for a 3 day camel safari and spend a couple of nights under the stars, or, a testing three-week desert crossing. It's one way to get a feel for the real Australian outback.

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