The site of camels trekking across Australia evokes the vision of Burke and Wills but following his planned two-year trek around Australia, it may be replaced by visions of Perth man John Elliott.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Elliott has been travelling across Australia highlighting the dangers of melanoma and raising funds for Beard Season to provide free skin checks in regional areas.
"Before I started the trek I went and got a medical, the doctor I went to was a skin specialist and they found a melanoma in the centre of my back," he said.
"Originally I was going to do the trek just to see Australia but now a reason had jumped up and bit me in the back to do it."
READ MORE: Rainfall received across the parched region
"I had no desire to do it in a 4-wheel drive or caravan, I wanted to beat my own path, someone mentioned camels at a dinner and the next day I googled 'how to buy a camel in Australia' and 18 months later here we are," he said.
In April this year Mr Elliot set off on his journey with his four camels Ted, Jackson, Arthur, Bill and his rescue dog Bruski and has picked up a fifth camel Charlie along the way.
Mr Elliot said the people he had met along the trek had been fantastic.
"Even on this stretch between Canowindra and here, I've had people invite us into their homes. I got a roast dinner with a couple of the locals," he said.
"Along this road alone I've had five different people offer us a place to rest up."
Mr Elliott said he was looking forward to the next leg of his trip, with a special goal on his mind.
"So I'll head down through to Yass and into Canberra, I want to get on the Parliament House lawn and camp out there for a night," he said.
"See if ScoMo will come out and have a beer with me and the boys.
"After that, we'll go down on through to Tassie and then back to WA up through the centre (of Australia)."
Mr Elliott said he would be staying in Cowra until Thursday morning and encouraged locals to come along and meet the camels.
"If anyone would like to come down and see the camels they'll be at the showgrounds at the camp draft yards," he said.
"If they bring a carrot, apple or sweet potato they can pat the whole crew."
What do you think of John Elliott's trek? Have your say