Racing camels of the outback
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 1:53 pm
Back in the early 1990's, I spent quite a bit of time working along the Oodnadatta track and particularly Marree. The publican at the time was a bloke called Doug Stuart, (he claimed to be a descendant of John McDouall Stuart) He decided that the community would hold a camel cup, he knew that I wrote a bit of poetry and so commissioned me to write a short poem to be included on the posters....I found the poster the other day so I have copied the poem here for old times sake.
Old Doug wouldn't print the second line because he thought I might be vilified for being racist, so he actually changed it to...'where the Afghan drivers trod'...it's my poem so I have changed it back.
RACING CAMELS OF THE OUTBACK.
© Ross Magnay 1993
In the outback of Australia, where the camels used to plod,
’cross a hot and dusty country where few white men ever trod.
The famous tracks to Oodnadatta and Birdsville now begin,
At the little town of Marree, so boys lets muster in.
The Camel Cup is coming; for all of us to see,
Beasts of burden in their glory, the way they used to be.
They won’t carry heavy mailbags, nor stores for station folks,
The cargo they will carry will be camel riding blokes.
But the finest racing gentry with their cut and polished steeds,
Don’t know ‘nuthin’ ‘bout the racing of these dromedary breeds.
So roll your swags and wander-the time is nearly up,
We’ll get ourselves to Marree for the famous Camel Cup.
Old Doug wouldn't print the second line because he thought I might be vilified for being racist, so he actually changed it to...'where the Afghan drivers trod'...it's my poem so I have changed it back.
RACING CAMELS OF THE OUTBACK.
© Ross Magnay 1993
In the outback of Australia, where the camels used to plod,
’cross a hot and dusty country where few white men ever trod.
The famous tracks to Oodnadatta and Birdsville now begin,
At the little town of Marree, so boys lets muster in.
The Camel Cup is coming; for all of us to see,
Beasts of burden in their glory, the way they used to be.
They won’t carry heavy mailbags, nor stores for station folks,
The cargo they will carry will be camel riding blokes.
But the finest racing gentry with their cut and polished steeds,
Don’t know ‘nuthin’ ‘bout the racing of these dromedary breeds.
So roll your swags and wander-the time is nearly up,
We’ll get ourselves to Marree for the famous Camel Cup.