The Melbourne Cup of Camel Races is tipped to draw a record crowd this weekend, as cameleers and tourists descend on Boulia for the Camel Races, July 19-21.
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Ticket sales are 50% up this year and Saturday's headline act, 7-time Golden Guitar winner Travis Collins will be a drawcard.
"Every year more people are factoring our Boulia Camel Races into their Outback travel plans and ticking us off their bucket-list," event organiser Rebecka Britton said.
"We've seen our crowds increasing 19% year-on-year the last couple of years and it's great to see this year will be even bigger because it's a welcome boom for our local businesses."
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Joining the thousands of travellers is the camel racing teams, with teams from Anna Bay in NSW, Shepparton in Victoria and Tara in Southern Queensland. The visiting teams bring stiff competition to the four the local Boulia based camel training teams, with all training for many months to prepare to take the 1500m Quality Electrical Qld Boulia Camel Cup, the longest and most prestigious camel race in Australia.
Racegoers will watch with a heightened interest in which jockey it is that crosses the line first, on the back of the extraordinary result which saw New South Wales jockey Chontelle Jannesse, win eight out of eight races, including 1500 Cup Final at the 2018 Boulia Camel Races. She took out the Cup win on Uncle Bob who will also return to Boulia with trainer/owner Rod Sansom in hopes of claiming another good result.
Uncle Bob lives at Oakfield Ranch, but the trip to Boulia is actually a homecoming, as he was first trained by local Boulia camel trainer Tom Woodhouse.
Current owner Rod Sansom said Uncle Bob won the Cup in Boulia in 2014.
"Straight after I bought him off Tom. I swapped him for an older quieter camel and a few cartons of XXXX beer. The next weekend he won the Winton Cup."
Uncle Bob won both the 1500m Cup and the 400m Cup at Boulia Camel Races in 2018, so will be one to watch this weekend.
Boulia will revel in the fun of the quirky competitions including the camel tagging competition, sheep tagging competition and the Great Australian Ride-on Lawn Mower Race.
Also on the program is live performances from Bridget O'Shannessy, Owen Blundell and 'Dustier Than Ever' - a Tribute to Slim Dusty.
A 3 day event pass is $80 Adult and camping is included in 3 day passes.
Under 18 yrs free entry. Onsite camping open Wednesday 17 to Wednesday 24 July.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
