Camels | Sales | Training | Export
Desert camels freely thriving in the expansive 250,000 km2 Ngaanyatjarra Lands, offer unparalleled diversity and resilience. With a population of approximately 300,000, the potential supply surpasses expectations, providing unmatched quality for your unique needs in dairying, tourism and breeding.
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Camel Treks Australia is committed to ethical camel-centric handling and upholds the highest standards in professionalism and animal welfare. We meticulously select camels from the most robust, healthiest, and untouched herds in Australia through collaboration with the Ngaanyatjarra Camel Company. Working in tandem, we prioritise health, beauty, and temperament in our selection process.
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As the sole dedicated, professional, and organised camel mustering team in Australia, the Ngaanyatjarra Camel Company supports Aboriginal employment and jointly engages in the careful selection of camels. This comprehensive approach extends to transportation, quarantine procedures, and handling, whether the journey involves air or sea freight.
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Camel Treks Australia and the Ngaanyatjarra Camel Company stand as a unique joint team, providing clients access to the vastest camel populations in the country. Our commitment extends beyond selection, encompassing a full-service experience that includes transportation, training, quarantine, and reliable delivery. We are here to assist businesses desiring to support their operations with the cleanest camels in Australia.
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WARNING: Aboriginal viewers are cautioned this page may contain images & voices of deceased persons.
Photography & Video Karen-Jane Ellis | Gordon Best | Matt Wedge | NITV - Ngaanyatjarra Media Aboriginal Corporation
Location matters when purchasing camels
Camels are mustered on The Ngaanyatjarra Lands, spanning 250,000 km2, approximately 3% of mainland Australia. This vast area extends across the expansive terrain of Western Australia, bordering the Northern Territory and South Australia. The extensive landscape uniquely benefits the mustering of camels, allowing them to roam freely in a natural desert environment, displaying a diverse range of colours. This freedom contributes to their resilience and overall well-being in their native habitat.
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Choosing camels from the expansive Australian desert regions, where they roam freely, is crucial. This is in contrast to obtaining camels from eastern or southern dairy farms, which, despite their best efforts, cannot match the robustness of these Outback-hardy camels. The latter are entirely free of parasites and other limiting factors that can adversely affect overall health and well-being.
Consequently, we can provide the healthiest camels in unlimited numbers for discerning buyers involved in dairy farming, breeding and tourism for national and international export. It makes perfect sense to purchase desert camels, ensuring they thrive in their natural environment, as opposed to Australia's humid east coast which is wet and tropical, or high rainfall wet-cold southern areas.
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Camels have roamed freely on The Ngaanyatjarra Lands since the 1940s, and the population has increased to approximately 300,000 in the region. Unlike a small dairy outfit, we can provide not only the best camels Australia has to offer but also a diverse and consistently unmatched supply.
Ngaanyatjarra Camel Company
The Ngaanyatjarra Lands have a longstanding association with camels. Since the first non-indigenous explorers traversed the land, camels have proven their suitability in the region. Local Aboriginal people utilised camels in the transitional period between solely traveling by foot and the advent of motor vehicles and roads. Subsequently released, the camel population has grown to approximately 300,000 in the area.
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In August 2012, the Ngaanyatjarra Council board entered a joint venture with Central Livestock Management, giving rise to the Ngaanyatjarra Camel Company. The company's primary function is to muster and sell feral camels. In 2015, the Ngaanyatjarra Camel Company joined forces with Camel Treks Australia to initiate the export of trained camels. Both entities oppose camel culling and advocate for a camel industry that provides employment opportunities for the local Aboriginal people.
National and International sales
Camel Treks Australia and The Ngaanyatjarra Camel Company are at the forefront of camel export based from the Ngaanyatjarra Camel Company's mustering efforts on the Ngaanyatjarra Lands. Camel Treks Australia's team, with its participation in Aus Trade missions and international camel-related projects, has gained valuable insights into the desired attributes of camels selected for international purchasers. The mission is to bring the wild camel herds in the region under sustainable management, fostering the growth of a thriving domestic camel industry and export business utilising these well-adapted animals.
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Camel Treks Australia and The Ngaanyatjarra Camel Company, has achieved successful camel exports from the Ngaanyatjarra Lands, marking a significant milestone. With weekly inquiries, we eagerly anticipate expanding our exports to other countries in the near future. Recognising the unique attributes of each camel, we approach the assessment and handling of each animal with the utmost respect, tailoring our approach to align with our clients' desired outcomes. This commitment ensures that our customers receive the highest quality camels Australia has to offer. We take pride in working collaboratively with the industry's most experienced professionals, emphasising teamwork and expertise in every facet of our operations.
Camel health and well-being
Our team takes pride in our commitment to the health and well-being of our camels. To this end, we actively seek out expert advice and mentoring to ensure that we are at the forefront of advocating for camel welfare and ethical treatment in the Australian camel industry. Our dedication to showcasing the healthiest camels in Australia is a testament to this commitment.
We are proud to have Professor Rafat Al Jassim as our dedicated camel advisor. With over two decades of experience in nutrition biochemistry and gut microbiology, Professor Al Jassim is a respected authority in his field. He is currently an Honorary Associate Professor at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Camelid Science. Recently, he was elected as the Chairman of ISOCARD, the International Society of Camelid Research and Development. With his expertise and guidance, we are committed to providing the highest standards of camel health and welfare in the Australian camel industry.
Stages of camel training
Compulsory Quarantine, Veterinary Inspection, Basic Handling Package
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The camel is trained to respect and understand yards, stand safely inside a standard cattle crush for up to 20 minutes, and allow veterinary inspection treatments, and blood tests etc. Slow confined space training is taught during the quarantine period to ensure safe and injury-free trucking and transportation. These are essential basic handling preparations.
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Dairy Farm Package
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The camel is trained to accept verbals commands, ( we may request and use key words in clients preferred language for export trained camels ) accept being haltered & led, accept having its head touched and be well prepared for staff and veterinary handling
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The camel is further educated to be gentle and calm with humans and is taught to follow key verbal commands without the need for physical restraints. Lots of leg and udder handling.
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Zoological Park and Tourism Package
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The camel is taught to sit on verbal command into its couched, or seated position, which is the preliminary lesson for commencing riding training.
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The camel is taught to lead in a string with other camels, fostering a cooperative and social behaviour.
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The camel is introduced to the saddle, weight of the saddle, weight being added to the saddle, and finally, the moving weight of a rider being in the saddle, all in a positive and reassuring environment.
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Camels are taught to stand, properly lead, turn, and accept moving beyond the safety of the training yard while carrying a rider, and to remain relaxed and at ease with human riders.
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Camels are taught to get up and down with riders while in a camel string, as per tourism operations. They also learn that riders may be on the camels in front of them, behind them, or next to them, and that these are all positive and enjoyable experiences.
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Camels are further educated and exposed to the various sights and sounds they may encounter when being approached and ridden by tourists, in a positive and gentle manner. This final stage is vitally important, as it ensures that camels remain calm and relaxed when interacting with excited and curious tourists. Therefore, it is our role as trainers to pre-expose camels to the various possibilities that may await once they commence public life, in order to ensure their continued comfort and safety.
Camel Trainers
Paul Ellis and Karen Ellis have been jointly involved in educating Australian Camels since 1997. Before this collaboration, they individually trained Camels and crossed paths while competing at an Australian Camel race event. Both share a steadfast commitment to comprehending Camel behavior and operate in Camel-specific facilities to achieve optimal training outcomes. In 2015, their collaboration extended to the Ngaanyatjarra Camel Company, driven by a shared desire to acquire Australia's healthiest Camels and ensure that those trained for export arrive in excellent condition and ready for handling.
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Over the last two decades, Paul and Karen have developed techniques employing non-violent methods on untrained cow and bull camels of various ages and sizes. Their collaborative efforts include educating Camels to accept their first halter, lead, saddle, and rider. They have also prepared Camels for tasks such as pregnancy testing, embryo transfer, milking, transportation, tourism, riding, and racing.
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Presently, their approach involves handling Camels in a calm, low-stress manner. They firmly believe that this method helps prevent injuries, bruising, and other losses for the camel and buyer. Calm and well-prepared animals are not only easier to handle in any environment but also bring joy to their owners and staff.
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Operating Camel Treks Australia Pty Ltd with great success, Paul and Karen have received awards and been featured in various films. They have prior experience in preparing Ngaanyatjarra Camels for international export, working in quarantine facilities, and understanding the veterinary procedures required for Australian Camel export. Karen has travelled on cargo flights with Camels, overseeing their journey from Australia to delivery, and providing on-site introductions for new owners and staff. You can read more about them on this websites About Us page.
Contact Us
Camel Treks Australia Pty Ltd Suite 608, 50 Commercial Road
Port Augusta, S.A 5700
M. 0432236131
INT./ WhatsApp +61 432236131