Australian Camels outback
Far from their origins in the Arabian desert, hundreds of thousands of camels roam in the Outback of Australia where they are used for wild races, an alternative milk source and even to make beer. Imported by British colonists in the 19th century for transport they were set free when the advent of cars rendered them redundant. Estimates of the camel population in Australia range from 300,000 to up to a million. Many of them are feral, roaming the outback and generally causing trouble — competing with stock for food, destroying fences, fouling waterholes and damaging Indigenous cultural sites. But domesticated camels also represent a modest export market, with Australian farmers selling their milk and sometimes even the camels whole — 68 so far in 2026 heading to Malaysia and Indonesia. Exports of camel meat totaled over $3.9 million in 2024, according to trade data.
On the Humpalicious farm in the South Australian town of Robe, owner and former sea captain Warwick Hill sings the benefits of his fluffy dromedarian friends. “They’re very nice to work with. They’re very easily domesticated,” he told AFP between camel cuddles. “If you’re kind and fair with them, they generally reciprocate.” Camel milk — which he sells for $14 a liter — has a multitude of health benefits, especially for those with allergies, he maintains. Hill insists it’s a far superior dairy compared to the “overprocessed” mainstream options. “We haven’t met anybody that can’t have camel milk,” he said. “It’s one of the closest milks to human milk.” “Everybody would, once they tasted camel milk, prefer to drink it over anything else.”
Across town, the Robe Town Brewery has found another use for the camel. The Humpalicious farm’s camels are fed grain left over from the brewing process, and their dung is then used to smoke the malt for the beer. “Holy Smokes” porter is sold as a “rich, dark and very smokey” drop. It’s not for the faint hearted — a bottle comes in at 8.2 percent alcohol volume. “It doesn’t really taste like dung.” “In fact, it tastes and smells a bit more like a peat-smoked malt. Smoky beer.” “It all revolved around the camels. The reason the camels were brought here was because they were so resilient,” Greg Burk, whose great-grandfather came to Australia in the 1880s, told AFP. “Camels are still dear to my heart.” Humpalicious, farmer Hill said he hoped his brewery efforts and those of others could teach people to love his humpbacked homies. “They’re quite a pleasant animal,” he said. “People come here and they see 50 well-behaved, very nice, cuddly, smoochy camels.”
Just Humpin’
Where would you park your camel?
The Camelot.
What kind of camel throws a hissy fit when you milk it?
A drama dairy.
A devout Arab Muslim entered a black cab in London. He curtly asked the cabbie to turn off the radio because as decreed by his religious teaching, he must not listen to music because in the time of the prophet there was no music, especially Western music which is the music of the infidel. The cab driver politely switched off the radio, stopped the cab and opened the door. The Arab Muslim asked him, “What are you doing?” The cabbie answered, “In the time of the prophet there were no taxis, so get out and wait for a camel.”
Two camels are walking through the desert. One looks to the other and goes.
“I don’t care what anyone says… I’m thirsty…”
August 13th Birthdays
1986 – Elcin Sangu, 1967 – Quinn Cummings, 1955 – Betsy King, 1982 – Sarah Sanders
1988 – Ray Diaz, 1959 – Danny Bonaduce, 1951 – Dan Fogelberg, 1899 – Alfred Hitchcock