The dust is flying, the camels are charging and one of Australia’s most extraordinary Outback adventures is officially underway.
The Desert Champions Way Outback Camel Trail has begun, with racing camels thundering into Jundah this weekend to kick off four weeks of Outback Queensland mayhem, community celebrations and unforgettable red-dirt experiences. From Jundah to Birdsville, Bedourie, Boulia and Winton, the month-long trail transforms some of Queensland’s most iconic Outback towns into a rolling festival of camel racing, music, storytelling, legendary pubs and bucket-list adventures.
Leading the convoy once again are defending champions Polished Copper and Geoffrey, last year’s shared Camel of the Trail winners, alongside their cameleer and jockey Emily Parrott, who has travelled from Newcastle with her racing team to defend the coveted title. Total kilometres round trip – over 2,000.
For Emily, a second-generation cameleer who has spent her life working alongside camels, the annual pilgrimage to Outback Queensland is about far more than racing. “It’s always exciting when the first race begins,” she said. “These camels love to run and there’s nothing quite like seeing them hit the red dirt in Outback Queensland. Every town has its own personality, every crowd gets right behind the camels and we can’t wait to get underway again.”
Over the next four weeks, visitors will experience much more than racing. The Trail weaves together camel races, live music, community festivals, campfire storytelling, Outback pubs, camel pies, spectacular desert landscapes and, thanks to recent rains, some of the most breathtaking wildflower displays seen across the region in years. From the famous Birdsville Carnival and the quirky Bedourie Camel and Pig Races, to the legendary Boulia Camel Races—known as the Melbourne Cup of Camel Racing—and the grand finale in Winton, every stop offers its own unique slice of Outback Queensland.
Whether you’re backing Polished Copper, cheering home Geoffrey or simply chasing Australia’s ultimate red-dirt road trip, one thing is certain…
The Outback is open — and it’s racing.
The Desert Champions Way: Outback Camel Trail: Let the camel mayhem continue in 2026!
Jundah Camel Races – July 3 & 4, 2026:
Kicking off the Desert Champions Way: Outback Camel Trail, the Jundah Camel Races
