Voyages Camel Cup

While the rough boys or crazy girls are the riders on the temperamental and terribly impulsive camels, being the spectator looking for fun you will surely feel yourself lucky as you are not a rider! A fun filled thrilling event in the month of July is Voyages Camel Cup celebrated in the Australian township of Alice Springs. Voyages Camel Cup runs annually at Alice Springs' Blatherskite Park.

Between 1840 and 1907, camels used to be imported into Australia. And today this country has the largest wild camel population (an estimated wild population countrywide of 750,000) in the world. Besides, Australia is the world's only exporter of these animals.

When: July (annual)
Where: Blatherskite Park
Cost: A$10; 12-16 yrs A$5; seniors & under 12s free; family ticket A$25

At first, the Voyages Camel Cup was started in the form of a duel between two members of Alice Springs Lions namely, Noel Fullerton and Keith Mooney-Smith, in the year 1970. In 1971, though the track was the dry Todd River bed, however, nowadays it is held at Blaterskite Park. The fest is still organised by the Lions.

Noel Fullerton's 1984 mount, Sweet Alice, covered the 400-metre course in a record 27 seconds. However, in this festival camels may sit down at anytime at the starting line and not budge an inch; and that's the fun.

Hotels in Alice Springs
Bond Springs Outback Retreat	Hotel Ooraminna Homestead
Hotel Gunya Titjikala	Hotel Alice Springs Plaza
Hotel Desert Palm Resort	Hotel Novotel Outback