Camel Training for Charity Camel Expedition

This Easter is unofficially the beginning of preparations for the Perth to Sydney Thank You Camel Expedition.




I currently have the camels at Beltana Station in the Northern Flinders Ranges and I will be starting camel safaris with them exploring the region. Travellers can join me and assist in discoveries of early pioneer and settler historical sites since forgotten and discover the Aboriginal history and sites of significance on the station.



One of the reasons why it will be so good to start to walk the camels again is because they are getting too fat. Australia has had an enormous amount of rain and this means prolific floral growth. The camels have been eating so much of this wonderful new growth, they are in need of new saddles. Their old ones just will not fit them anymore.



Camel trekking will reduce their hump to a more managable size and increase their fitness once again. (And Mine).



If the camels humps get too big, they like any animal who is overweight, can suffer from joint problems. Too small, is not good either. It takes some working out to get the balance right for a camels health to be at an optimum level.



Many people have taken an interest in the development of the Perth to Sydney Thank You Camel Expedition especially since walking across Australia twice, hasn't been done before.



Walking through the Flinders Ranges with interested travellers on Beltana Station will be the start to many footsteps towards creating this new Australian record.



For those interested in discovering about the region of Beltana Station, about camels and their beautiful nature and what Beltana Station Camel Safaris has to offer the link is at:



www.australiancamels.com



This is definitly the year to see this region, Lake Eyre and Lake Torrens. The country has never looked so good and for myself, to be in training here for the Perth to Sydney Thank You Camel Expedition amongst the wildflowers and wildlife is going to be sheer heaven, compared to walking across Australia during the drought years as my wife and I did with the Darwin to Melbourne Thank You Camel Expedition: LINK:



http://dundeecamels.wordpress.com/category/summary-of-the-trek-aims-objectives-the-foundation-the-sponsors/



I'll post photos in the near future........Stay tuned.



Take care and please continue to support the Children First Foundation.



Cheers



Russell Osborne

Documentary Plans for the Camel Expedition

Hello everyone and welcome to the Perth to Sydney Thank You Camel Expedition 2013 website.
I have lots of exciting news to tell you as I plan this 4500km expedition for Moira Kellys Children First Foundation.
Plans for a documentary of the Perth to Sydney Thank You Camel Expedition 2013 are well on the way.
Recently, I was contacted by a documentary film maker with a credible track record of producing some excellent documentaries for SBS and a variety of other media outlets.
We discussed in great detail of the Camel Expedition, it's intentions and the desired outcomes of creating such a documentary.
I am pleased to announce that we have come up with a plan that is now being investigated further and the prognosis of such a plan is looking extraordinary to say the least.
I shall keep everyone posted as more news comes to light.

In the meantime, Ros and myself were honored once again by the Children First Foundation when they asked us to become house parents for the Children First Foundation Farm at Kilmore, Victoria.
With the Perth to Sydney Thank You Camel Expedition 2013 and Ros gaining massive ground at present with Natural Resource Management, Marg Smith, the CEO of the Children First Foundation has suggested that our time to become house parents for the kids under the care of the Children First Foundation may be best in the future.

I couldn't think of a more life changing experience to have than become house parents for the Farm and it is an offer we will consider in time.

I have been looking at the maps of both Perth and Sydney to discover ways of manouvering the camels through the two cities safely but with maximum exposure to allow an opportunity for the public to partake in the camel expedition.

The enormous task of letter writing, gaining official permissions and gaining the support of local, state and federal Governments here in Australia as well as service clubs, sporting clubs and other organizations has begun.

Once again, just like with the Darwin to Melbourne Thank You Camel Expedition 2008-2009, the excitement is building up inside of me and it is hard to concentrate on other aspects of living.

Currently, I am living with the Aboriginal Elders in the isolated community of Docker River in the N.T. I assist them on a daily basis with tasks needed to be done to maintain culture and general well being. Most of the elders I am living with are what we call original bushmen and women, meaning they remember first contact with white man.
Their stories and knowledge of land, spirituality, culture and wisdom is quite incredible and it is an absolute joy being with them. My own personal knowledge base of land, culture and lifestyle prior to european contact has expanded enormously and a great deal of this knowledge and learnt skills gained will be incorporated in the next transcontinental camel expedition.

Recently, Australia has undergone some incredible hardships and Ros and I would both like to extend our deepest thoughts and love to those affected by the tragic natural disasters so many have experienced.
We have offered a week of camel trekking for eight people to be auctioned for the Queensland Flood Appeal with my camel tours and safaris with Outback Australian Camels on Beltana Station in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Hopefully, the auction will raise a lot of money for those most in need from the flood disaster.

Take care everyone and best wishes for 2011.
Thank you for all those who have emailed me privately with your encouragment and support.
It really does make a huge difference to me.

Cheers for Now
Russell Osborne
Ambassador, Children First Foundation
Transcontinental Camel Expeditioner

www.australiancamels.com