Camel Cup

Camel Cup Alice Springs

The Camel Cup is held in Alice springs in July each year and attracts people worldwide. It is a quirky tribute to those animals often referred to as ‘ships of the desert’. Camels assisted early Europeans in opening up the interior of Australia. Unfortunately, the wild camel (Camelus dromedarius) population now poses a real threat due to the escalation of numbers to the inland environment. Camels feed on more than 80% of the available plant species. The impacts of camels on vegetation are serious and evident where camels occur at densities greater than two animals per km2, which is the case throughout much of the Northern Territory.

Anyway, back to the Cup. The first race in 1970 took place in the dry Todd River between two Lions club members. Since then, it has become a part of the Alice Springs Centenary Year Celebrations.

The beasts are not short on grumpy personalities, and racing them is not easy for riders and handlers but fantastic fun for spectators. The day always has lots of action between the races, with Belly dancers, rickshaw races, ‘Kids Kamel Kapers’ hobby camel races, and rides for those who wish to experience the rollicking motion when sitting astride on a camel. There are, of course, Mr and Miss Camel Cup challenges, some great food stalls and bars flowing with beer that add to the carnival atmosphere. The camel cup takes over Blatherskite Park, a section of the Central Australian Show Society grounds.

More information on the ‘Cup’ is available on this website.

Camel Cup Voyages Tent

Other significant areas to visit from Alice Springs (4WD required) are the West MacDonnell Ranges, Finke Gorge National Park, Finke Desert Race, The Old Andado track and, of course, Uluru.